Of Wizards and Keyblades
by Sylvester
Summary: For Hp and Kingdom Hearts fans...Sora and Harry team up with the Order of the Phoenix to battle Voldemort, and the new evil force that arises in his service. *my first fic!*
1. Prologue

Of Wizards and Keyblades.

Disclaimer: Only one person owns Harry Potter, and it ain't me. Kingdom Hearts is owned by SquareSoft and Disney Interactive.   
  
Pairings: I dunno yet, but I could take suggestions...

Setting: In the middle of Harry's 5th year, and after Sora defeats Ansem and all the worlds separate.

Author's Note: I suggest that you read this story only if you have a good knowledge of Kingdom Hearts, and of course, Harry Potter. 

Sora shivered in the cold rain. His usually gravity-defying brunette spikes were sagging, and his usually buoyant and peppy outfit was drenched and stuck to his body. He glared at the blackened sky, as though it were the cause of all of his problems. "And it's just my luck," he grumbled to himself, "that I get caught in a rainstorm."

He trudged up the nearest hill to get a better view of his location. He couldn't make out much through the haziness of the rain. "Oh bother, I think I'm lost." he muttered. Instantly his mind conjured up the image of his friend Pooh Bear, which darkened his mood with the thought of all of his friends that he would never see again. Blinking back hot tears, he chided himself for being so soft. 

Sora continued his hike down the hill. 'I wonder where Donald and Goofy got to...' he worried, not remembering how they had gotten separated. All he remembered was a nice sunny afternoon on the Magic Kingdom's lawn, with him and his two pals sipping lemonade and chatting about King Mickey and Riku, then a big flash of white light, and BAM, in the middle of a sopping wet moor. Suddenly, he noticed that there was a thin line of what looked like trees ahead at the base of the hill. Sora hadn't seen them before, and before he had time to get suspicious, the forest surged up and surrounded him. 

"What the-!" Sora was unable to finish his outburst when he heard a weak voice call out for help through the rain. 

" Help.....anyone....help!" With every call, it grew fainter and fainter, as if its owner was on the brink of unconsciousness.

"Where are you? Keep talking so I can find you!" Sora yelled, heading in the voice's direction. He trudged around soggy trees and through muddy puddles, until the almost undetectable sound appeared again.

"I'm here, over here..." and then it died completely, but Sora now had a good idea where it came from. 

As he plowed through some brambles, Sora almost tripped over a sleeping figure propped up against a tree. It was a boy, around his age, maybe a bit older, with what looked like a sopping wet dress on. He was on the thin side, with dripping black hair. Blood oozed from a hidden wound under his hair, and dribbled down his right cheek. Sora cast a healing spell on him, but it wasn't powerful enough to pull the boy from his coma. Kneeling down, Sora pulled his head back and checked the dilated pupil of his left eye. 'Great, he's in shock.' he thought, but stared, mesmerized, at the bright emerald green of the boy's eye, and the wisdom and age swirling in the iris.

Sora sat back on his haunches, and calmed his heart rate down a bit, clearing his mind. He now could feel the intense magic of the forest, the was it stifled the air, and hypnotized his senses, making him totally aware of his body, mind, and spirit. He shook his head, and turned his thoughts to concentrating on the situation.

Sitting back, trying to think of a plan to get his new companion and himself to a safe, dry shelter, Sora stared hard at the boy, and finally noticed that under the wet raven curls on his forehead, there was an interesting lightning bolt scar... 

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Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Minerva McGonagall charged down the castle lawn towards the Forbidden Forest, the two younger professors left in the dust as the bearded wizard practically flew across the rain-soaked grass. They could still hear the ward sirens blaring from the castle. There was an intruder on the grounds, and what was worse, Ron Weasley had informed McGonagall that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had gone missing. Ron had found a note left by Harry that explained that Voldemort had given him a vision of Hermione's kidnapping and torture, and to run to Dumbledore. 

Snape had a bad feeling in his gut...something big was about to explode in their faces. 

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Sora easily lifted the bleeding boy, and started hiking through the trees, and all the while, the Forest's magic amplified his senses, so he could hear the wood breathing, and he could smell the boy's blood and his....perfume? 

Great. Now he was a bundle of nerves. 'There is someone else here...' he thought, trying to detect the place of the sweet smell. As Sora stopped, something shoved into his backside, which sent him five feet in the air, screaming like a howler monkey. After gaining control of his heart rate, he tuned in his nose to the faint smell of lavender and chamomile. And then he noticed a place where the rain did not pass through, but slid around. Grabbing the air, Sora lifted a quicksilver cloak, covering a girl on a levitated stretcher. The boy was attached to it by a silver thread of energy.

She gasped and stared at him with wide, chocolate eyes. "Are you alright?" he said, feeling her forehead, where a fever was burning its way down her body. It was obvious that she was nowhere near being alright. She was bruised, and her leg and wrist looked broken. She wore shreds of what used to be a nightgown, and her soaking wet hair clung to her head in a mass of tangles. She did not answer, but looked at Sora in surprise and terror. "Oh, don't worry, I won't hurt you. I want to help you and your friend." She did not respond, and he concluded that she was in a state of shock from her physical, and most likely mental, injuries. 

After wrapping the girl back in the cloak, he pushed on, stumbling hear and there, until he could see the trees thinning and a monumental castle looming over them through the haze of the rain. 

Voices shouted in the distance. "Here! Help over here!" Sora yelled, and the voices came nearer. He ran toward them as fast as he could under the growing burden of the boy and the trailing stretcher. The two parties met at the edge of the woods. 

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The three teachers stared in amazement at the very... odd child standing before them. Rushing forward, they relieved him of the boy. 

"There's a girl here, too." He said, pulling back the invisible cloak from the stretcher. McGonagall cried out in horror, and ran to the girl's side. 

"Thank you child. Come with us into the castle, we will give you shelter. Harry and Hermione is in shock, they need to see Poppy immediately!" She said, and all six set off of the castle, shielding themselves and the unconscious children from the worsening rain. 

Author's note: *Rings hands nervously* Well, what did you think? This is my first fanfiction. I would love some reviews and constructive feedback, but please, don't flame. I didn't see any Harry Potter/Kingdom Hearts fics, so I just had to give it a shot! 


	2. Welcome to Hogwarts

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 2  
  


Sora was awestruck by the extensive room inside the castle. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." said the old man with the excessively long silver beard. As soon as they were in the sanctuary of the Entrance Hall, the two Head of Houses, laden by the injured students, rushed up the Grand Staircase, Dumbledore and Sora not far behind. Up and up they climbed, Sora lost count of how many flights they ascended, until finally the adults stopped in front of a door with a wooden carving of a medical cross, and the Keyblade master rushed forward to make use of himself. Holding the door wide open, the teachers strode into the bleach-white Hospital Ward. 

"Thank you, my boy. What is your name, by the way? I believe things will get a little hectic soon, and I'm afraid you might be forgotten for a little while, so best to ask you now." The wise old mage said.

"Oh, my name is Sora, sir. I understand, maybe I should wait somewhere else..."

"An admirable idea, but you could get lost easily, so just stand by the wall, as I will undoubtedly be tossed out in five minutes anyway."

"Oh Minerva, Severus! What happened to them?" A matronly nurse helped the boy and girl onto sterilized hospital beds, magically changed their clothes into hospital gowns and started healing their external wounds with potions, salves, and methodical flicks of what Sora guessed was a wand. 

"This remarkable young man found Mr. Potter in the Forest, Poppy, and Miss Granger was tied to him with a binding charm, and hidden on a stretcher under an invisibility cloak. It appears that Lord Voldemort has been tormenting Harry with visions, and had kidnapped Hermione to use her as bait for Harry. " Dumbledore said, giving the wielder of the Keyblade a kind, wondering stare. Sora knew there was more to him than what met the eye. There was a telltale twinkle in the man's crystal blue orbs, and it was Sora's window to an amazingly sharp mind. 

"Well, thank you all for bringing them to me so quickly. Severus, I will need a few potions-"

"I am two steps ahead of you, Poppy. I will be right back with them." the tall, brooding man said, and Sora stared in amazement as he threw in a fistful of funny powder into the fireplace, and vanished in a whirl of engulfing green flames. 

"Minerva, I need you to-" 

"I already know, and I'm on my way. See you all in a little while." the strict-looking woman briskly replied. She repeated what the black-clad man did with the powder in the fireplace, and sped off in a rush of emerald fire. With all of the monsters and dark warriors he had challenged in battle and conquered, Sora knew that he would never want to meet this particular woman in combat.

"Albus, and, I'm sorry, what is your name young man?" she turned her caring gaze on the rain-drenched boy standing in the corner, and magically dried him with some muttered words and the flick of her wand. 

"Oh, thank you! I'm, uh..."

"His name is Sora, Poppy." 

"Very well. Sora, Albus, I need to work my magic, and you can come back in a few hours to check up." The matron gently ushered the Headmaster and the Keyblade owner out of the ward. They walked slowly down the stairs a few floors, Sora bewilderedly following behind until they reached a long, torch-lit corridor. 

"We have quite a lot to discuss, Sora. Please, step into my office." Dumbledore gestured towards a door guarded by a grave looking gargoyle. "Tootsie Pops!"

The gargoyle leaped off of its pedestal, and the brunette wheeled back in alarm. 

"Oh, you are a wreck of nerves, aren't you, dear boy? Well, nothing some nice mint tea and a lemon drop won't cure." He chuckled, and led Sora onto an ascending staircase, and up into the most magnificent room he had ever been in. It was quiet, but never still, with the whirr of silver and golden gadgets, the soft rustle of a large bird's feathers, and the peaceful snoring of men....in the paintings on the walls! 'More magic, boy I love this place!' Sora relaxed into an overstuffed chair in front of a beautiful mahogany desk. The old wizard sat down across from him, and gave him a piercing stare to the unusual boy that had practically dropped from thin air into their midst, and saved them from a potentially catastrophic evening.

"Now, Sora, please, tell me who you really are, and why you are here..."  
  
  
  


Wow, Chapter 2 is finished! Please Review! 


	3. A little chat

Chapter 3  
  


author's note: this chapter is going to be a bit shorter But I promise, I will get it moving quicker, and the next chapter will be longer! Thanks to HarryPotterFreak4Life, heather b, and RogueFanKC. In response to your comment, Donald and Goofy will show up, but a little later on.   
  


And now, on with the show!  
  


"Now, Sora, please, tell me who you really are, and why you are here." Sora was surprised. "I told you who I was, sir." He gave the man a "I-think-you've-lost-your-mind" look.

"I know your name, Sora, but there is much more to you than that..." Crystal blue eyes twinkled in amusement. 

"Uh, I...am not, um, from this world." 'Great eloquence, stupid!'

"So I concluded, how did you get here?"

"It's a long, confusingly complicated story, sir."

"Well, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger won't be waking up for a few hours, so we have quite a bit of time. Please, humor this senile old man." Dumbledore chuckled. "Have some tea and a lemon drop first, you seem a bit....distressed."

"Oh, thanks. Well, I guess I'm nervous because of getting lost in another world with no familiar faces, but I'll cope. Ooh, these lemon drops are good! Well, you asked for an explanation and here it is, sir. Well, I guess it all began when I was with my friends Riku and Kairi on Destiny Islands...." Sora talked and talked until he was sick of his own voice. He explained about Riku and Kairi, and his witness of the destruction of his home world. He spoke of waking up in Traverse Town, meeting Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, and his partners-in-crime, Donald and Goofy. He went on about visiting all of the worlds, battling the Heartless. 

Here Dumbledore interrupted him and questioned Sora about the demons of darkness. He inquired on practically every aspect and detail. Why was he so interested? The elderly man was on the edge of his seat, taking notes on what the Keyblade Master told him. 

"And they feed on the darkness in hearts? How informative..." Dumbledore mumbled, quill scratching furiously on the parchment.

"Uh, sir? Why do you seem so...enthralled?"

"I will tell you once you finish your story. Please continue."

So he babbled some more, going on and on about Riku, Maleficent, and Ansem and the final battle. He finished off with the splitting of all of the worlds, and now being separated from his pals. 

A pause. "Well, Sora, I think you are an extraordinary young man. I am so glad that I have talked to you. You see, what you told me about the Heartless shines some light on a deadly-looking predicament that has seemed to hang over our heads at the moment. I don't believe you know much of our world, so I'll give you the shorthand version." 

Another hour later, Sora sat back, absorbing and sorting all of the new information he had heard. Voldemort, he didn't come off as a caring gentleman. 'He is no better than Ansem. Worse, in fact, if he could survive death.' He really wished Donald and Goofy were here...

"And now there's this new force that Voldemort has allied with. There are supposedly an almost endless supply of them at the Dark Lord's disposal. My informants say that they are mute demons with shadow faces and glowing yellow eyes. They wear white Deatheater robes, but have a strange, ominous looking rune emblazoned on them. They are nicknamed 'the Light Killers'. Any bells ringing for you?"

"No, but they kinda sound like a death metal band, with a name like that. Do you know exactly what the symbol looks like?"

"Yes, actually. My informant sketched a picture." Dumbledore flicked his wand, and a scroll appeared, floating over to Sora. As he unraveled it, his stomach dropped. It was undoubtedly the Cross Heart of the Darkness, except the only difference was a pair of snakes wrapped around it.

"Sir, you have a Heartless army on your hands."

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author's note: whatcha think? I'm open to suggestions for pairings! Please review!


	4. Sora's Sorting

Of Wizards and Keyblade: Chapter 4  
  


author's note: WOW! I got reviews! I wish to thank Bombay Kitten, Serenity, heather b, GBF, SpakleOwl, RogueFanKC, and my ever-so-useful friend Katrina, who is nice enough to let me bounce ideas off of her. To RogueFanKC: I LOVE your idea about Donald and Snape! I will definitely try to squeeze that one in! I like the Donald/Herm idea, too. Thanks so much, all of you, for your feedback, it's what I live for!   
  


Sora walked out of the Headmaster's office, with Dumbledore escorting him to the hospital wing. Inside, the two Gryffindors lay sleeping on the white beds of the ward. Hermione looked much healthier, Sora couldn't see anymore bruises or swellings, and she had a peaceful face while she slept. Harry, however, looked like he was having the worst nightmare of his life. He was sweating and mumbling, and the thin sheets of the bed clung to him like static hair does to a balloon. 

"Hermione...no....stop....NO!" he shot up like a catapult, and wrenched himself free of the sheets. At first he glanced wildly around the room, then spotted Dumbledore and Sora. 

"Headmaster! Where is Hermione?- Hermione!" Finally spotting her, Harry rushed over to her bedside and pulled her sleeping body into a tight embrace, burying his face into her cleaned hair and weeping for relief. The girl woke up with a start. 

"Oh, Harry, you're so stupid! You came to save me! You knew it was a trap!" she pulled him down and cried into his shoulder, hugging him back with all of her strength. 

"Well, I couldn't bloody well leave you to that monster! Of course I came for you, you're my best friend!" 

Sora was very uncomfortable with all of the mushy lovey-doveyness in the room. Dumbledore was dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. Hermione looked up, and spotted Sora.

"Oh my! You are the boy who pulled the cloak off of me. Who are you?" 

"I'm Sora, nice to meet you."

"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, this young man found you two in the forest, and carried you both here to the castle. He is a transfer student, so he will be with us for a while." Sora gave the old man an odd look. Exchange student? What was that about? Well, he would think about it later.

"Oh, Sora! Thank you ever so much! I shudder to think what would happen if you hadn't come across Harry!" The Keyblade master didn't have time to blink before she threw her arms around his neck and smooched him 'thank you' on the cheek. Blushing from embarrassment, he patted her awkwardly on the back. Harry rushed forward and shook his hand vigorously, lost for words.

"Miss Granger, Harry, why don't you head up to your dormitory. You have had a terrible ordeal, and thank goodness you two didn't injure yourselves beyond what a quick potion and a spell can't heal. Mr. Weasley has been very worried. I will have to speak to you both about this tomorrow, however. Goodnight. Sora, I'll show you to a guest room." The two students bade the Keyblade master and the old wizard goodnight, and then Dumbledore turned and walked brusquely down the hall a bit until he reached a tapestry of a pretty witch with a cat. 

"Your room his right behind here. The password is 'Hairball.' I will send someone to fetch you tomorrow morning. I think you should stay here for a while, but we'll discuss it later. Try and get some rest, dear boy, I believe you deserve it. Goodnight." 

As the man retreated back to his office, Sora stared at the tapestry. "Uh, hairball." The girl in it giggled and swept the hanging aside, revealing a beautiful suite. It had a four poster bed with maroon hangings, and a spread to match. The room was furnished with elegant paneling, and a mantled fireplace, where a cheerful fire crackled. There was a small breakfast table, and two lounge chairs in front of the fire. He collapsed on the bed, and was instantly dead to the world. 

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Sora woke to someone sitting on his stomach. Shrieking, he threw it off and fell out of bed in a tangle. 

"Dobby is sorry for scaring Sir! Dobby has brought Sir breakfast!" The little creature squeaked, picking up a fallen tray, and magicking the spilled food and pumpkin juice back onto it, just as if it had never been dropped. 

Clutching his chest like a heart-arrested old man, and stuttered out a "Th-th-thank you, I-I-I'm sorry for throwing you, just d-don't ever wake me up like that again!"

"Dobby understands, Sir. Does Sir like the food? I would be delighted to get Sir something else."

"Oh, yes this is fine. You don't have to call me Sir, my name is Sora. No offence, but what are you?"

"I am a House Elf of Hogwarts, Sora, Sir. If Sora wants anything, please just call out Dobby's name." And with a snap of the elf's fingers, he was gone. 

Sora ate the food with great zeal. He had never had these round cakes drenched with sweet syrup, or toasted bread with fruity gel on top, or fried bird's eggs with cheese mixed in. But somehow the juice didn't agree with him, so he had the reserve glass of water on the tray. After he licked the plates, the Keyblade wielder noticed a pair of black robes, a white collared shirt, a black-lined gray pullover vest, a pair of black trousers, and a neat black tie lying folded on a chair obviously for him to wear. Looking at the odd clothes skeptically, he decided to give them a shot. 

Ten minutes later, he was standing in front of the upright mirror, dubiously scrutinizing his image in the Hogwarts uniform. He had the tie knotted like a belt around his waist, and the shirt's buttons were uneven, and he couldn't figure out what to do with the vest. Summoning Dobby, he pleaded for help. The elf was only too delighted to tie his tie properly, fix his shirt, and instruct him on putting on his vest and robe. The shoes had to be magically enlarged, and Sora was stunned to see how anyone over the age of 5 could fit into a size 13 men's. 

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As Sora stepped out from behind the tapestry, refreshed and dressed-for-success, Dumbledore turned the nearest corner, and spotted him. 

"Ah, Sora! I was just coming to get you. The uniform suits you wonderfully! Well, I'm sure you have a few questions about your arrangements, so please, lets adjourn to my office for some tea."

They climbed back up the moving staircase, and into the circular study full of funny silver gadgets and snoring portraits, and sat back down in the comfy armchairs. Sora sipped some mint tea. 

"I told Mr. Potter and Miss. Granger that you were an exchange student because of the particular circumstances of your arrival. From what you told me, all of the worlds were separated permanently, and is impossible to travel between them. But somehow you appeared in ours. I think that it was no accident. With the ominous arrival of the Light Killers, and the darkness they bring with them, I believe that you were summoned here by the Light, to assist us in the defeat of the new Heartless. But it's your decision to get involved, I can't make you fight, but, I'm afraid that I won't be able to help you find a way home. What do you say, dear boy?" Dumbledore sighed and reached for a lemon drop. 

"I....guess I have no choice." Sora was a bit frustrated. He obviously had no control of his situation, and it irked him that he had to temporarily give up his search for the Door to the Light for this. 'But this is my calling, a new Heartless army has arisen for me to defeat, and I was obviously dropped here to help out.' he reminded himself. 'Plus, if the Light summoned me here, maybe the Door is located in this world!' 

"Oh, I'm very relieved that you understand. I'm sorry, however, that you are caught in a situation that you shouldn't have been involved in. In any case, you will go to school and attend classes here, to make you less conspicuous to Voldemort. And am I right in guessing you have little experience in practical magic? This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn new forms of your craft. You will need to be sorted into a House."

"A House?"

"Yes. There are four Houses-Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. You will be placed into the one that best matches your talents and personality. We can sort you now, if you wish."

Sora thought. Wow, he would be a student here! He knew that he could do some pretty powerful magic, but what he saw here was practical. He felt totally inept, though, since all he knew was battle magic. However, he was very curious as to which House he would be placed in. "I'll be sorted now, if that is convenient for you, sir." 

"Very good! Just put this hat on, and then we will know."

A very tattered wizard hat was stuck on his head, and a voice rang through his mind"Ouch, your hair hurts, boy! Well well well, you have an astounding amount of courage and determination. Yes, you do have some wits about you as well. A very interesting past you have here, hmmm. I believe you would best be in-"

"GRYFFINDOR!!" 

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author's note: I know that this is more of a Kingdom Hearts fic now, but the point of view will focus on Harry eventually, so there will definitely be more HP in there soon. Well, I think I will stick to the canon pairings in general, but I'll throw in a few flings and crushes along the way, so sorry to all of you Sora/Riku and Harry/Draco fans! I'm also warning you Draco lovers out there that he will be evil at first, I haven't decided what will happen to him later, though. Next chapter, Sora's first day as a Hogwarts student: he meets his classmates, has run-ins with professors, and sleeps in his first dormitory! Please review!   
  


extra note: I've only played the English version of Kingdom Hearts, and I'm not familiar with Japanese expressions, so that's why I haven't been sticking -sama and -kun or whatever to the ends of all the names Sora says. Sorry to those who like to read that form! 


	5. Sora's First Day

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 5  
  


pairings: HP/GW, RW/HG, DM/PP, Sora/Kairi.  
  


Author's note: Thanks for all of the positive feedback, reviewers!   
  


"Congratulations, Sora! Gryffindors are known for their intense loyalty and courage. You are in the same House as Mr. Potter and Miss Granger. Good, they will be able to show you around, and answer any questions you might have." Dumbledore smiled and pointed to Sora's tie. Instead of being the original black, it was now colorfully stripped maroon and gold, as was the border of his vest, and the new House crest on his robe, with a valiant lion emblazoned on the front. 

"Now, I'm afraid that the school isn't used to students wielding large weapons, so perhaps we should transfigure it into a wand."

Sora didn't really like the sound of that. He liked his blade just the way it was, thank you very much. But the old wizard did have a point. 'Think practically, you numbskull!" He berated himself, and graciously handed over his most prized possession to his Headmaster. 

"Dissimulo dormio a virga!" His three and a half foot Keyblade shimmered and shrunk to form a 13 inch stick of mahogany. On the end was a unique handle, it was two small spheres on one larger sphere, like King Mickey's head. The Magic Kingdom's symbol.

"There. Now, if you ever need the Keyblade in its original form, just say "reversus" and it will change back. I think we are all done here, do you have any questions?" Dumbledore said, laying a aged hand on Sora's shoulder. 

"Yes, actually. What classes do I have?"

"Oh, thank you for reminding me! Here is your new timetable, you have the same classes as Harry. Since you know nothing of practical magic, the teachers and I have agreed to tutor you for a while to catch you up. Don't worry about the classes. I am not expecting you to make much of an effort, since you obviously didn't choose this, but it is a very valuable education that we teach here, so it wouldn't hurt to try things out. Well, I will show you to your House." 

With his new schedule and wand in hand, the Keyblade Master was led out of the office, down a corridor, up eight flights of stairs, and in front of a Fat Lady's picture. She stared down at the new student curiously. "Password?"

"'Flip flops' is the password of the week, Sora. One of your House prefects will tell you the new one each Sunday. Good day, lad." And with a twirl of his sky blue robes, Dumbledore was gone. 

"Flip flops." 

The picture frame swung open, and Sora had to jump out of the way to keep from being smacked in the head. He crawled inside the square hole in the wall and stepped into a beautiful circular living room, full of comfy looking furniture, bookshelves, a notice board, and a warm fireplace with a portrait of a tall bearded wizard with a lion at his feet. 'That must be Gryffindor.' He thought. The man in the portrait waved regally at him, and Sora couldn't help but grin shyly and wave back. 

"Welcome to the Gryffindor common room, Sora. Take a seat, please. We need to go over the rules." Sora hadn't noticed the stern looking lady from last night sitting on one of the couches by the fire. On the opposite seat sat Harry and Hermione, both beaming at him. 

"Thank you, ma'am. Hi Harry, Hermione."

"Hello Sora." they said in unison.

"I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I teach Transfiguration. I am your Head of House, who is responsible for all of the students in Gryffindor, now including you. We have provided your uniform, supplies, and text books, since you are unable to buy them yourself."

"I have some munny, ma'am, I could buy the items."

"Money? You have wizard money?"

"Well, I was told it was excepted everywhere."

"You have a Mastercard?" Harry asked, remembering the commercials 'It's everywhere you want to be.' 

"Uh, no....here, let me show you." Sora pulled out a few pieces of munny, and everyone stared at them, clearly confused. 

"What is it made of?" Hermione asked, taking one and examining it closely.

"I dunno. I'm guessing it is worthless here, right?"

"Afraid so. It is of no matter, however. We wouldn't make you pay anyway. Would you like an animal? You could have either an owl, a cat, or a toad." Sora thought for a moment, but didn't think a pet was a good idea for him now.

"No, thank you. I already have a duck and a dog, though they aren't in this world right now."

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'This kid boggles me. He's like an alien from another world...cool.' Harry thought, tuning in and out of the conversation. 

"...and there is to be no wandering out of the portrait after 8:00. Mr. Potter, why don't you show your new classmate the dormitory?" Harry snapped out of it and nodded.

"Sure. It's up here, Sora." They walked up the staircase to the right of the fireplace and ascended a long twisting flight of steps. Finally, the two boys came onto a landing with a door that read "Fifth Years", and stepped inside. Six beds were placed in a circle, a nightstand and wardrobe in between each. Harry pointed to the new bed placed left of his.

"That's yours. Your new supplies are in the trunk at the foot of the bed. There are two other sets of uniforms, a day cloak, a winter cloak, a couple hats, boots, and dragon hide gloves in the wardrobe for you. Any questions?"

Sora wasn't listening much, he was running his hand over the trunk, and sorting through the things inside of it. Then he started testing out the bed. It wasn't as good as the guest room's, but it was still better than any others. He turned back to an amused Harry, and grinned.

"What's my first class?"

Harry's amused face left to be replaced with frown. "Potions with Professor Snape."

"Oooh, that sounds very interesting. Is he a good teacher?"

Harry wanted to laugh, but understood the boy's naivete. "Uh, no. He is the slimiest, most spiteful bastard you'll every have the displeasure of meeting, well, besides Voldemort. He is the Head of Slytherin House, and he hates Gryffindors, so he'll pick on you a lot. We better head down there now, we don't want to be late. He loves to take points off." 

Harry and Sora raced down the stairs, and met up with Hermione. 

"We need to get going. Have your books and supplies, Sora?" She asked kindly, strapping her pack on.

"Yep. It's all here in this backpack. Where is the class, anyway?" 

"In the dungeons, so we have a long way to go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora had never been more tired in his life. 'I bet everyone in this school has a tight ass from all these damn stairs they have to climb up and down every friggin' day!' He was sweating now, and Hermione and Harry were miles ahead of him. Maybe if he just slid down the banister....no, the fall was too risky. So he pushed on, ever so aware of the cramps in his leg muscles. He was in shape but geez! 

Finally, they reached the dungeons. There, Sora was introduced to Ron, who he liked immediately, Seamus, Dean, and Neville, who seemed at the end of his wits in this atmosphere. He also shook hands with Parvati Patil, and Lavender Brown, who giggled and whispered to each other secretively. Sora noticed that half of the class were from a different House, and they didn't seem to be the friendly Hufflepuffs, or the courteous Ravenclaws. 'So these must be the Slytherins. How charming they all look.' Sora noted the glances of disgust and dislike on all of their faces, especially a snobby looking blonde boy. Harry told him to sit next to Hermione so she could help him out, but that wasn't to last. Then a tall bat of a man billowed into a room. Sora recognized him from last night as well, the one who had carried Harry up to the hospital wing. 

"Class, we have an exchange student with us today. Stand up and introduce yourself." He said, turning around and starting to write that day's assignment on the board.

"Hi, my name is Sora, and I, um, well, I come from..."

"The Kingdom Military Academy for Combative Magical Training!" hissed Hermione.

"...The Kingdom Military Academy for Combative Magical Training. It's cool to come to Hogwarts. I hope to become friends with all of you." He finished, mouthing a 'thank you' to Hermione, who winked at him in return.

"You may sit down Mr...Sora. Well, class, I'm going to pair you off for today's Mindswipe potion. Potter and Longbottom, Brown and Bulstrode, Patil and Zabini, Thomas and Goyle, Finnigan and Crabbe, Granger and Parkinson, Sora and Malfoy. Directions are on the board...begin!" The blonde haired boy moved over next to Sora. As they prepared the ingredients, the Keyblade Master had to keep asking him questions like,"Which one is a shrivelfig?"or,"Leech spleens?! Do leeches have spleens?!" The boy, who finally told him that his name was Draco, would always huff out a reply, and was obviously frustrated at the questionnaire. He finally snapped when Sora firaga-ed the cauldron to light it, and caught Draco's robes on fire as well.

"Merlin, boy, do you know anything?! What the blazes did they teach you at that military school?!" he yelled, throwing the shrivelfig at Sora. 'How rude! It was just an accident, but now I'm pissed.' He thought, glaring at the brat in front of him. 

"They taught me combat magic....wanna see if I remembered any of it?" Sora threatened, his wand glowing with a suppressed spell to turn the snot into a block of ice. 

"You will do no such thing! Ten points from Gryffindor for threatening another pupil. Get back to your potion. Now." Snape growled, and swept back up to his desk. 

Sora opened his mouth to retort, but Harry reached his leg across the aisle and kicked him to be quiet. Silently fuming, he started peeling the shrivelfig Malfoy threw at him, and angrily tossed it into the cauldron. 

Meanwhile, Neville was shaking like a leaf, and accidentally dropped the leech spleens into the potion too soon, and it bubbled over, spilling acidic purple ooze all over the stone floor. People shrieked and ran away from it as it ate through backpacks on the floor and table legs. Raging toward him, Snape cleaned the potion and restored all of the damage with a swish of his wand, and towered above Neville. Sora felt a wave of sympathy to his classmate; no wonder he seemed to be on the edge of a near death experience when in this classroom. 

"You clumsy little oaf! Fifteen points from Gryffindor House! You will come in tonight to redo this potion if you want a passing grade!"

"Professor, that is hardly fair! It was an accident, why are you punishing the whole House?" From his fellow Gryffindor's looks of terror and frightful surprise, he knew he had made a tactical error. His professor slowly turned, taking two strides to bear down on him like a grizzly bear. Sora audibly gulped. Malfoy sneered at him from behind his teacher's back. 

"Twenty five points, Sora. Now it is a round fifty you louts have lost yourselves for questioning my judgement." Snape softly hissed, leaning in until they were nose to nose. Sora couldn't stop his mouth in time, though. 

"What judgement?" 

Ron closed his eyes and put his head in his head. Harry grimaced, and Hermione gasped. 'Now you've done it, bigmouth. And on your first day, too.'

"Detention. See me at 6:00 tomorrow night, and don't be late." The Potions Master breathed down his face. 

"Anything you say, sir." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry had to hand it to the guy; he had guts to stand up to the most feared professor in Hogwarts. But he was out of his league....man, detention and thirty five points off in the first class alone. He needed some cheering up.

"Hey Sora! Wanna go meet a friend of mine for some tea? I think you'll like him a lot. What do you say, mate?" Harry gave him his best 'Aw, cheer up' smile, and offered his elbow with a pompous flourish. Sora curtsied and took it, and they both walked out, Harry bowing and Sora curtsying at all the students who gave them odd stares. They laughed until they cried when they reached the lawn outside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry had been right...Sora loved Hagrid's cheerful nature and laid-back attitude. Fang slobbered all over the Keyblade Master's face, but Sora giggled and ruffled the boarhound's fur. He decided that he did not like tea, it was too....leafy. And the rock cakes hurt his teeth. But he enjoyed Harry's and Hagrid's comfortable company. 

"Geez, we've been here for a whole hour, Sora! We need to get going if we don't want to miss Transfiguration! Bye Hagrid, thanks for tea!"

"Anytime, lads! It was nice meetin' ya, Sora. I won' ferget what ya did fer 'Arry, ere." Hagrid boomed, pulling the boy into a rib-cracking bear hug. Sora patted him on the shoulder, glad to be let go, his breath had been squeezed out of him. 

Running back up to the castle, they caught up with Ron and Hermione at the main doors, who were standing rather close to each other. As Harry and Sora got closer they yanked apart like they had been burned, and Harry sniggered behind his hand. 

"Hey, lovebirds. Ready for some Transfiguration?"

"Heh, Of course. You are going to love this class, Sora, it is so fascinating!" Hermione exulted, linking arms with him and Ron, and practically skipping to class. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Today, class, we have a new student from..."McGonagall looked down at the parchment Hermione had scribbled Sora's fake school name on," Kingdom Military Academy for Combative Magical Training. He will be with us for a while to learn more about practical magic and the such. Please, introduce yourself, young man." 

Sora repeated most of what he said in potions, except that the class greeted him warmly, with a short applause after his introduction. "I like the Hufflepuffs much better than the Slytherins." he thought, as they welcomed him into their class. 

"Today we will be learning to turn useless items, like these old rusted keys and nails, into bread. Can anyone come up with a logical reason why this would be useful?"

Sora came up with a reasonable answer, so he raised his hand, waving it slightly in impatience. 

"Yes, Sora?" McGonagall pointed to him. 

"Well, I would guess that if you were ever stuck in a situation without food, changing garbage to bread would be able to sustain you long enough to find a way out without starving to death first."

"That is a very good answer. Five points to Gryffindor. Now, swish and tap your wand on the items and say 'panisa' clearly."

Sora stared hard at his rusty key. Watching Hermione, he mimicked her swish and tap, muttered "Panisa!", and watched in fascination as his piece of metal junk turned into delicious looking bread. 

"For your first practical spell, that was excellent! Five more points to Gryffindor." McGonagall smiled down at him. The brunette reckoned she heard about her colleague's severity with him in his first class, and tried to restore some of the points he had unjustifiably lost. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At dinner, the new quartet chatted about the day, cursing Snape and blessing McGonagall, Harry teased Ron and Hermione about finding them being a bit...close at the door, and Ron asking a lot of questions about Sora. When getting to the topic of his "home world," Hermione shushed him and said that that subject was not to be discussed at the dinner table where anyone could overhear. Ron muttered an apology, and Sora readily replied "No problem, I'll tell you about it later." 

The appearing and disappearing food fascinated the Keyblade wielder, as did the food itself. On his island and during his travels, he had never in his life had "mashed potatoes" or "roast chicken." His favorite had been the cheesecake for dessert. 

After dinner, they slowly trudged their way up the endless stairs, groaning as their full bellies increased the weight. Sora had never felt this full and content in his life. When the three boys reached the dormitory, they shrugged off their clothes and drowsily donned the Gryffindor crest-emblazoned night shirts. As soon as they hit the bed, the three of them were out like lights. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora was halfway through a dream about himself and Kairi drawing on the walls of the secret room on Destiny Islands, when he was rudely jarred awake by Harry's yells.

Sitting bold upright and racing over to his new friend's side, he shook the thrashing boy awake. Harry stared at him wildly, and Ron and the other boys rushed over to see what happened. 

"Another nightmare, Harry?" Ron asked anxiously, rubbing his best friend on the back. 

"Sora, I think I found your duck and your dog." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: Yay, my longest chapter so far! What did ya'll think? Please review! Chapter 6 will be up as soon as I finish my damn biology project! 

*Hey, Katrina and Kristin! This chapter is dedicated to the both of you! Luvs and Hugs!* 


	6. A Heartless Encounter

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 6

  
  


pairinngs: It's too complicated to list. 

  
  


author's note: Thanks a whole bunch for your patience and ideas Katrina, my beloved beta-reader! . To Dre: *Hugs* thanks for the many reviews! I'm afraid I don't have room in my "Master Plan"for the adventure into KH, but you did give me an idea, but that's a secret that only Katrina will get to hear *heehee*. I also got a couple of requests for a Sora/Ginny pairing, and I think I can go a bit on that, but I'm afraid that it's only going to be a crush, nothing permanent. On with the show! 

  
  


Sora's heart leapt into his throat. 'Donald and Goofy were here? How? Why?' he thought, staring at Harry as though he had sprouted another head. 

"What do you mean?"

"I had another vision, Voldemort seems to have found out about you, somehow, and he has captured your two friends to use as bait." He squinted, trying to grasp the fading memory.

"Were they tortured?! Where are they-" Harry cut off his question.

"No, no, not tortured. A cell....yeah, like in an old castle dungeon. Voldemort was feeling evil, and that was why I screamed....he has so much bloody hatred that it burned me. We need to tell Dumbledore." He said, gingerly getting out of bed. Ron shooed the other boys back to their own four posters, muttering "Show's over, go on. I'll handle him." 

Sora and Ron escorted Harry out of the Tower, and back down to the familiar corridor with the stone gargoyle. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well, boys, thank you for coming to me so quickly. I do not want either of you to go gallivanting off into the night to rescue them without more facts. I will send one of my informants out at once to collect some more information. You had better head back up to your dormitory. I will take care of this and keep you both posted. Don't worry, Sora. We will find a way to rescue your friends." Dumbledore patted him in a reassuring manner, his polka-dotted nightcap swinging drowsily on top of his head, and ushered them all out of the circular office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora was seriously frustrated. His friends needed his help, and this overly cheerful old bat with an insane polka-dotted nightcap refused to let him do anything about it. He stomped back up to bed, Ron and Harry walking hesitantly behind him, and threw himself onto the downy mattress that swallowed him whole. Sleep did not come to ease his worry until a few hours later. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry stared at Sora's snoring form, which was spread to cover the whole bed. 'He is worse than Neville.' He thought, and prodded the boy awake. 

"Up! You don't want to go to class without breakfast!"

The Keyblade master looked up groggily and unceremoniously threw a pillow at the Boy-Who-Lived's head. Harry, in return, shrieked in indignation and sent the offending pillow back with a resounding thwap. The brunette, now fully conscious, rose up on his haunches and tackled the emerald-eyed teen to the floor, both playfully punching and kicking and biting and clawing, the once innocent pillow fight turning into an violent testosterone-driven two-man mosh pit, until Ron ran upstairs at the sound of their growls and hollers and pulled them apart. Hermione and a short red-headed girl followed him.

"What in the world are you two doing?! Honestly, you both have lost your bloody minds! Fighting for no reason. I should take points." The bushy-haired prefect sniffed, looking down disdainfully at Harry and Sora, who were checking each other's battle wounds( Harry had several nail indentations in his arms, and Sora had two reddening sets of teeth marks on his left leg), and apologizing profusely for the damage they caused.

Sora then noticed the girl grinning in the doorway, and blushed pink with embarrassment at the situation. 'She is kinda pretty, looks a little like Kairi, except with long curly red hair and freckles.' That made him only blush harder. 

"Oh, Sora, this is my little sister Ginny. Say 'hi' Ginny." Ron poked his sister in the ribs, and she smacked him and squeaked "Hello" before tearing off downstairs. 

"She hasn't acted that shy since she first met Harry." The red-headed teen shrugged at his sister's antics. 

Harry felt a pang of jealously well up in his stomach. Since the start of school, he started to notice how beautiful Ginny had grown to be. He hated to admit it, but he had a full-blown crush on his best friend's youngest sibling. Now he didn't regret giving Sora those bite marks. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After breakfast, the quartet walked to History of Magic, which Sora deemed the "Most Boring Class in All the Worlds." The other three had to agree. The old ghost droned about things that otherwise would have seriously interested the Keyblade Wielder, like Dragon Wars and vampire skirmishes. But this dead guy put him into a stupor. 

When the dullest hour of his life was over, Sora joined Harry, Ron, Hermione, and, to his infinite blushing, Ginny, for some leafy tea in the Great Hall (he had water).

"So, Sora, what do you think we will do about the....Duck and Dog thing?" Harry whispered, eyeing the other students at the table. 

"Well, Headmaster didn't give me much of a choice. I guess I'll just hang around here until he gets more news. What's our next class?" He answered idly, trying to form some sort of makeshift rescue plan for now, just to sort his ideas. 

"Oh, you're going to love Divination, it's so-"

"-Stupid! Merlin, why did Dumbledore put you in that joke of a class? It is taught by a hoax of a palm reader, and it is not the least bit practical-"

"Aw, stow it, Hermione. Sora and I are gonna have loads of fun making up new ways to kill off Harry here. Ain't that right, Sora?" Ron said in between sips of that disgusting leaf concoction. 

"What?!" the brunette boy gawked at the red-head,"Are you insane?!"

Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron laughed at the astonished look of horror on their friend's face. "Not really, you poor naive child. Professor Trelawney keeps predicting Harry's death. So we come up with new and creative ways for him to kick the bucket." 

"Oh. Okay, I'll help out. Sounds like...fun." Sora stuttered, mentally smacking himself.'Stupid, stupid, stupid! And in front of Ginny, too.' 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron had been right, Divination was fun! Sora made goofy faces in the misty crystal ball. But just as he tilted over it to cast an eerie light on his face, something within it moved. He peered closely, and saw a tall dark figure writhing on the ground, like it was being suffocated and then electrocuted. He elbowed Harry, who leaned in and stared at the figure, and pulled back with a gasp of recognition. Sora and Ron gave him an inquiring look, but the Boy-Who-Lived mouthed an 'I'll tell you later.' 

Stepping out of the stifling room, they immediately accosted him, and he hissed, "Snape! It was Snape in that ball, and he was being tortured! I wonder why that showed up in the crystal...." He trailed off as they got down to the Entrance Hall. 

"Oh well....stupid stuff comes up in that room. Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins next. Hagrid teaches it. It's pretty cool. Just watch out for Malfoy and his goonies." Ron informed Sora as they met up with Hermione on the lawn. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"T'day, class, we'll be goin' inter the forest ter study the social habits o' the bugbears. Jus' stay close ter me, an' ye won' have ter worry abou' the monsters in the forest." Hagrid boomed, ushering the students onto the safe pathway into the dark wood. Sora didn't like this very much, especially with Malfoy trying to trip him every step he took. He suppressed his itching trigger finger...he soooo wanted to blast that brat's smirk off his face. 

"Ah, 'ere they are! See th' nests on the ground? They oft'n mate fer-wha' was that?" A dark shape, low to the ground, flew past the trees to Hagrid's right, and the whole class stopped and nervously glanced around them. 

Sora's trigger finger itched again...but not for Malfoy. Something dark and...heartless...radiated from the moving shadow. 

Suddenly, the figure stepped onto the path. It was short, with glowing carbuncles for eyes, and a white Death Eater robe on. The emblazoned Cross Heart with entwining snakes was clear in the shaded sunlight. Four more emerged from around the class, forming an ambush circle. People drew their wands, but knew not the first spell to use, they had never seen these creatures before. But Sora had seen their cousins. 

He turned to his trio of friends. "Light Killers! Leave this to me! Reversus!" And to everyone's absolute astonishment, a long, lethal looking Blade the shape of a key appeared in their peer's hands. He charged at the first Heartless, slashing and parrying, and fired an ice block, but it only took out a little of the creature's strength. 'Oh, I wish I had one of my keychains...'he moaned mentally, and decided to use his strike raid and ragnarok attacks to finally finish off the beast. Harry stepped in and started cursing the other four, and the other Gryffindors took the hint and helped. With that, three more Light Killers evaporated to set free a shimmering Heart of Light, which floated into the sky. Now only one was left. Sora shoved the Keyblade under it's throat, but almost fell when it croaked,"Don't! I can give you information!" 

"Very well. Harry, stun him."

"Stupify!" The Heartless fell, and Sora bent to scoop it up in his arms. "Sora...where did you get that....sword?" The black haired boy asked, pointing to the weapon. Everyone, even the Slytherins, nodded in agreement. 

"Well, uh, it's my Keyblade. I....gotta go." And he ran as fast as he could down the path, carrying the unconscious Heartless, retreating away from the questions he wasn't sure he should, or even could, answer, up into the castle, and right to Dumbledore's office. He needed help with this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: (*waves* hi kristin!)thanks to all who reviewed and sent in ideas, I'm really grateful! I'm really loving writing this, it is my first shot at a multi-chaptered story. It's turning out better than I imagined, and I am so happy for your encouragement. So please review! 


	7. The Plot Thickens

Of Wizards and Keyblades: chapter 7  
  


pairings: just read to find out. Nothing slash, though.   
  


author's note: Thanks to my reviewers and my beta-reader Katrina! *squeals and hugs* FlikFreak: you think I'm amazing? You're so sweet! Thanks so much! Okay, now the fic!  
  
  
  


Sora sat, again, in front of Dumbledore's desk, running his fingers lovingly over the mithril blade of his weapon, listening to all the old man said. 

"Well, my boy, I am afraid that this can no longer stay a secret now. I'm not blaming you, though. There was no other way out of that situation, and look what you caught! This little creature may hand over some interesting information. Ennervate!" 

The Dark figure groggily sat up, its hands and feet bound by magically enforced straps. 

"Heartless, who do you serve?" Sora questioned, swinging his blade around to prick the creature's neck threateningly . 

"I fight under Captain Zanik, who is 4th under Kogs, General of all Light Killers." the evil fiend answered in a caustic, inhuman voice. 

"What about Voldemort? Do you serve him?" Dumbledore said, rising from his seat.

"Kogs is a slave to the Darkest One, and thus all Light Killers are servants to the Darkest One's orders."

"Does Voldemort hold a talking duck and dog hostage?"

"Yes." 

"Are they injured, tortured?"

"No. They were ordered not to be harmed, though they killed many of us before first being subdued."

"Is the Dark Lord planning a battle involving your kind?" 

"Yes." 

The symbol on the Heartless's cloak blazed, and another crude speech reverberated in the room," Coward! Traitor! You dare to leak information about your Brethren! Death to you!" The cross heart flared, and the Light Killer shrieked as it burned alive, and in thirty seconds was nothing but a pile of ashes. 

"Well, this is...different, Headmaster. The Heartless I know are mindless beings, incapable of planned action or organization. This one talks, that is a great feat alone, but of ranks, captains, even a general. These must be hybrids of Heartless and something much more intelligent." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sora, are you alright? I really would like to talk...." Harry asked when the Keyblade Master trudged into the common room, his sword disguised again as a wand. 

"I'm fine....I'll try to answer some of your questions, just not here. Too many ears." The brunette answered quietly.

"Would you mind if Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid joined in? They wouldn't tell a soul." 

"Sure."

"Good, then we'll go down to Hagrid's hut. It'll only be us."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"....so yer from another werld, eh? Tha's sumthin' ya don' hear everyday." Hagrid muttered, stroking his shaggy beard. Harry and Hermione already knew, of course, and they had kept it from Ron, but even they didn't know that Sora was a warrior of Light. 

"Can I see that sword, Sora?" Ron asked eagerly, glancing at the transformed wand.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt...reversus." The Keyblade was passed around the room, and Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid examined it so closely that it was an inch from their noses. Ron pricked his finger on the end when he tested the sharpness of the tip. Yep, it was pretty sharp. 

"So, wha' was that thing in the Forest?" Hagrid asked, pouring more tea. 

"A form of Heartless. They are minions of Darkness, who seem to be at least partially controlled by Voldemort." Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid flinched. "What? What did I say?"

"You-Know-Who's name....geez, you and Harry will be the death of me!" Ron muttered, color drained from his face.

"Sorry, I didn't know it was bad to say it. Anyway, the Heartless I know couldn't think for themselves, but these seem to be more intelligent. Dumbledore guesses that they are bred from the traditional Heartless, the ones that I know, and something from this world, like goblins. Come to think of it, I didn't know that they COULD breed...." Ron made a face, but Hermione was fascinated, riveted even. She would not stop asking detailed questions about the Heartless he had encountered, the worlds he saw, Goofy and Donald. That particular part of the conversation made him feel guilty for not coming up with a decent plan yet, although now he had a few extra heads thinking with him. Maybe they could formulate something soon. 

He was thoroughly sick of the questionnaire by the time night fell, and Hagrid escorted them into the castle. 

"Aw, man! I have detention with Snape tonight!" Sora slapped himself on the forehead, and tore down to the dungeons, already ten minutes late. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ah, so you finally decided to grace me with your presence. Five points for being late. Scrub the cauldrons over there in the corner, then come back to me."

Sigh. "Yes, sir." Sora got started on the grime-caked pots, scrubbing with all his strength until his joints ached. There were five altogether, and each was the size of coffee table. 

After he was finished, the brunette dragged himself over to Snape's desk, where the tall man was grading papers. "I'm done."

"Very well, now you can start on harvesting those frog livers from the carcasses over in that tub. There is a scalpel and forceps in the desk drawer. Don't mess it up." 

Sora gaped at the impossibly endless number of dead amphibians in the basin, and then thought of cutting open every single one and pulling out a slimy little liver. He retched reflexively. 

"No way in Hell am I going to touch those frogs. Can't I do something less disgusting?" Sora wrinkled his nose at the acrid smell of dead water creatures. 

Snape rose from his seat slowly, eyes burning with anger. "Are you defying me? How dare you!" He rounded his desk so that he was standing a foot away from his new student. "Typical Gryffindor, even if you ARE from another planet. I will not tolerate dissention and disobedience. I thought it wouldn't come to this. Assume the position."1 the Potions Master muttered, reaching into the classroom closet and pulling out.....a cane.

"What position is that?"

"Drop your trousers and bend over the desk, you stupid boy."

"Why?" 

"So I can cane you!"

"Cane me? What for? I don't need a cane."

Snape rubbed his temples in frustration. "I am going to flog you with this cane on your posterior. Kindly assume the position so that we can get this over with."

"You're kidding me."

"I most definitely am not. Now; assume the Goddamn position!"

"No! You are not going to spank me with a stick, it's cruel and unusual punishment."

"It is nothing unusual, nor cruel. I can think of nastier disciplines, though." He sneered, brandishing the cane.

'This is a twisted nightmare.' Sora thought, shaking his head in dissent. "I'll tell the Headmaster." 

Suddenly, Snape picked him up by the scruff of the collar, and held him high, shoving him against the stone wall. 

"Listen, you cretin. I will NOT put up with this disrespecting disobedience. I don't care if you are new here, you must still obey the rules, and they stand thus: students serving detention must comply with his teacher's directions, or face suspension for willfulness."

Sora couldn't stop a smart-ass retort, even thought he well knew that it would just get him into more trouble. "Does the teacher have a right to manhandle innocent students as well? Like smashing their heads into bloody walls?!"

A sneer. "Teachers are also allowed to cane willful stu- ah!" Snape dropped Sora onto his butt, clutching his forearm with a painful grimace, and backed into his chair. 

"Leave, your detention is over. You're incredibly lucky." 

Sora had to agree. Picking himself up, he raced out of the door and straight up to Gryffindor tower non-stop. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He clutched his arm? That must mean the Dark Mark is burning..." Harry muttered. Seeing the confused look on the Keyblade Wielder's face, he quickly gave an explanation, then moved on with his train of thought. 

"Voldemort must be holding a meeting. Why would Snape be going? I thought he had been a sp.....Shit!" Harry yelled, jumping from the couch in the deserted common room. Everyone else (that being Hermione, Sora, and Ron) jumped with him. 

"What is it?" Hermione exclaimed.

"I just remembered something! Last year, after the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore asked Snape to do something dangerous for him....I think he has taken up spying again! But that won't work....I heard Voldemort talking to his followers, and he was speaking of a missing member he said, 'One, who I believe has left me forever...' which must be Snape! But there was something else he said....oh no." Harry's eyes widened with fear and understanding.

"What else do you remember, Harry?

"'He will be killed, of course.'" 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 1. "Assume the position." Quoted from "Dead Poets Society. 

author's note: Wohoo! Another chapter finished. Donald and Goofy are gonna be in the next chapter! It's getting darker.....please review! 


	8. Tne Rescue Part I

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 8  
  


Pairings: eh.  
  


Author's note: Thanks to Andrea, yes, I am going to try the H/S/G triangle. Katrina, YOU ROCK!!!! heather b, naeem, FlikFreak, and all the other people who have kept up with this story and given me valuable advice and support, YOU ARE THE BEST *hugs to all*!!!!  
  


Ron and Hermione stared at Harry apprehensively. Sora just gawked blankly. 

"So....what? How is Voldemort going to get at him? And even if he did, what does it really matter? He's a greasy, bitter old meanie." Sora shrugged, not really understanding.

"Sora, Snape has saved my life not a few times, by using his sharp-as-a-blade wit, and Slytherin cunning. If he has been called to a meeting by the Dark Mark, then it is a good chance that he will be tortured to death. I owe him my life, I can't let that happen. I think I have a plan..." The quartet huddled together, and Harry talked for another half hour, discussing his ideas and tactics. At the end of the hour, they had come up with a sure-fire rescue plan, both for Snape, and Goofy and Donald.

"Okay, let's run through it again. Harry and I will ride to the Death Eater meeting on his broomstick, under the Invisibility Cloak. We'll slip in undetected, me going for Donald and Goofy, and you, Harry, going for Snape. We hand each of our charge's a Hogwarts portkey, and activate it. Then, we fly back. Everyone got it?" Sora stated, staring at his companions. 

"Yep." they chorused. Hermione and Ron rose from the couch to prepare the Portkeys. Harry ran upstairs to retrieve his broom and cloak, plus change into black trousers and turtle-necked sweater. Sora accompanied him and borrowed Ron's coal jeans and long sleeve shirt. 

Later, Harry briefed him on where he suspected Voldemort's location was, by what he saw in his dream. It had looked like a deserted castle, and, checking the English map, had discovered a derelict manor not far from the Riddle House, the Dark Lord's old hiding place. "That's probably where he his, and if not, we'll turn back and try again." 

Rushing back downstairs, now cloaked in the color of night, they met up with Ron and Hermione, who held a rubber duck, and a ball of twine. 

"They are both to Dumbledore's office. Sora, tell your friends that they need to touch it and say "Hogwarts!" to activate it. Harry, same thing for Snape. Are you both ready?" Hermione murmured, the seriousness of the situation stifling the air. 

"Yes. Don't worry, Hermione, we'll come back in one piece, with Snape and Sora's pals. Don't tell Dumbledore until we are gone for thirty- Ginny?" 

The little redhead had descended the girl's stairs to retrieve her forgotten books, when she stopped dead when spotting the party. "What are you doing?" She whispered, slowly making a way towards them. 

"Nothing, Ginny. Just a prank on the Slytherins-" Ron started, but his sister cut him off.

"It isn't nothing, Ron! I can see that! You all are so ominous. Where are you going, Sora?" She mumbled, finally stopping to stand, blushing, in front of her new crush. The Keyblade Master couldn't think of a proper reply.

"We are on a rather....serious mission. I can't have you say anything about this, it's really important. It's no huge deal, though. Promise not to blab?" Harry spoke up, furious that she had addressed Sora first instead of him. It was obvious that she liked the spiky-haired brunette. 

She glanced at him, surprised, as if noticing his presence for the first time. Nodding mutely, she turned and hugged him encouragingly, and pecked Sora on the cheek, whispering a 'good luck' to them both, before whisking upstairs, white nightdress whipping behind her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron pushed open a window, and helped Sora put on his knapsack with the portkeys, some healing potions (courtesy of Hermione), and a bit of food if they were stranded. Harry mounted his prize Firebolt, and offered a hand up to the brunette. Draping the cloak securely around them and their ride, the duo flew into the chilled night air, Hermione and her boyfriend wishing good them luck and Godspeed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry and Sora, who clung desperately to his back on the broomstick, touched down noiselessly on a balcony of Whyverly Manor, an ancient crumbling shell of a once magnificent House. The windows were magically darkened, but up close, a trace of inner light was apparent. They slipped off of the broom, and Harry shrunk it to fit in the knapsack. 

"Be as quiet as possible...they could be expecting something such as this..." Harry whispered, using a silencing spell on the balcony door, and then a quick 'alohomora.' 

They crept into a dimly lit corridor, where, at the end on either side, a ill-attending Death Eater guard stood. Neither had noticed the door ajar. They passed the man on the left, who was short and thin, with cataracts in one eye. He definitely looked evil enough to be a servant of the Dark Lord. The man seemed to feel something pass by him, but took no heed of it. ' I really, REALLY hope that Voldemort can't sense us here...' thought Harry, crossing his fingers. 

The didn't see anymore minions until they reached the Feasting Hall, where candelabras lined the walls, casting eerie shadows on the floor. Voldemort himself stood in front of a throne-like chair, addressing his followers.

"Yes, we finally have the filthy traitor in our grasp. Shall I dispose of him quickly, or let you have your sport first?" He cackled as the men cheered for blood, and at their lord's signal, a bound and gagged prisoner was dragged forward, and tossed ruthlessly into the throng. 

Harry recognized Lucius Malfoy, who strode forward, pointed his wand at what could only be his Potions Master, and fired a painful curse, which had daggered slash marks cross their way over his body, aching cuts that forced Snape to whimper in pain. 

Sora had to hold his companion's shoulder when he made a movement forward. "Not yet...walk with me to the dungeons, then you can play around up here. I'll join you after my pals are safe." He whispered in Harry's ear, steering them towards a door leading downward.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Down in the dungeons, Heartless guarded the cells, which held various people in various forms of existence, from elves to centaurs to Light wizards. At the very last prison hold off of the hall, Sora could feel familiar magic, a mixture of warm protection, and audacious curiosity. Goofy and Donald. Harry pulled them into a hidden corner, pulling the ball of twine out of the back pack. Squeezing his friend's shoulder reassuredly, the dark haired teen pulled the cloak off of the Keyblade Master, and disappeared upstairs. Sora was now out in the open, alone, with only his wand....he needed the weapon bestowed upon him. 

'Reversus." He muttered, and the stick in his hand elongated to his Excalibur, Destroyer of Darkness. The Heartless in the dungeon sensed the weapon and it's wielder now, and swarmed towards his hiding spot. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry snuck back upstairs, and prepared himself for his attack. Snape was in bad shape now, one eye crusted shut with gory gook, his arm at a funny angle, and blood gushing from a stomach wound. Harry blanched from the stench of life fluid oozing from his teacher's wound. Voldemort's head shot up, and his serpent nostrils dilating, seeking out a familiar scent....Harry's. 

"Sound the Summons! Our guests have arrived. Harry Potter, you needn't walk around invisible amongst your hosts. We know that you are here." Harry threw the cloak off and shrunk it, stuffing it in his pocket. He stood, boldly facing his enemy. 

"Give me back my Potions Master."

The Dark Lord laughed, and flicked his wrist at his captive ex-servant.

"As you wish."

The next thing Harry knew, Snape's prone figure flew up and crashed into him, shoving him back ten feet. Harry knew this was his only window of opportunity, and wrapped the groaning man's bloody hand around the ball of twine, and muttered, "Hogwarts."

Snape disappeared in a blur, leaving Harry alone in a room with a seriously pissed off Dark Lord, and his army of minions. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora swung the Keyblade left and right, parried sharp claws, and stabbed at dark flesh. He was swarmed with scores of Heartless.

"Sora? Sora! Over here! Blast the door!" Donald's lisp-ridden voice called, rattling the bars. The Keyblade Wielder did his best to clear himself the nearest creatures, and pointed his sword at the vague vicinity of his friend's cell, shrieked "ALOHOMORA," and turned to defend his back from razor nails. 

Donald and Goofy were at his side in a heartbeat, but no weapons to assist them, except for a rusty medieval shield that hung on the wall, and a equally dilapidated spear. 

After what seemed like forever, they were down to five Heartless, Sora fighting three with his Keyblade, and Goofy and Donald doing their best with the other two. 

"Gotcha!" Cried the three, as they vanquished them all with Sora's Trinity Attack. 

"So...where 'uv you been?" Goofy said with his Southern drawl, pulling the three of them into a group hug. "We've missed you!" 

"I've missed you, too, guys, more than you know. I'll fill you in once we get back to safety, but first I need to help a friend. Take this rubber duck. It will transport you to a safe place." Sora said quickly, all to aware of the growing noise above them, coming from the Feasting Hall. 

"Wait, you dropped this when the Light swallowed you back home." Donald said, placing the Ultima keychain into Sora's hands. "You know what to do with it." 

"Thanks! You both holding the toy? Now, say 'Hogwarts!'" Sora said, and the last thing he heard from his friends was Donald muttering, 'What's a Hogwarts?' And their whirred off to safety.

"Hold on, Harry, I'm coming, and I've got an old friend with me."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: there! All done, for now at least. Next chapter will be up soon, and please, PLEASE review! *hugs* 


	9. The Rescue Part II

Of Wizards and Keyblades: chapter 9

  
  


author's note: *heehee* Sorry for the cliffy, but I just love leaving you all on the edge! Again thanks to Katrina *hughughug*, and also Gijinka Renamon, Werewolf Childer/Lover of Draco, FlikFreak, Mage of Darkness (thanks for circulating my story!), saturnmkch12, heather b, andrea *waves*, and Darknesswithinonesheart! Ya'll are so cool!

  
  


Sora walked up the dungeon steps and his eyes were met with a furious battle, a score of mask-clad wizards attacking a short, skinny teenager, who was bravely but failingly fighting back with all of his might. 

"Hey guys! You forgetting someone?" He yelled, distracting a large pack of them, giving Harry time to get on his feet and out of firing range. He attached the Ultima keychain to his blade, and it morphed into an elongated work of deadly art, adorned with spikes and petals, the tip covered by a sharp orchid-looking flower. The Death Eaters retreated a bit at the sight of it. 

Smirking, he swung it left and right, doing only enough damage to disarm and demoralize. Fingers, hands, even feet went flying this way and that. The Keyblade Master wheeled back a bit once noticing the gore that covered his robes, and the floor around him. Had he done that? Sora realized that he had never fought a human like himself with the Keyblade.....well, he had, if you count Captain Hook, Ansem, and Riku, but the Keyblade had never split their skin open and hacked into their marrow. When most of his foes were sufficiently cowed, he ran for cover with an injured Harry, who was standing behind a wide pillar. He rummaged in his back pack, and handed his wounded pal an extra potent healing potion. Harry was better in a matter of seconds. 

The Boy Who Lived noticed the new and improved Keyblade. His green eyes widened, but he held back his questions. There were more important things to discuss.

"It's time to get out of here, Sora. Are your friends gone?" He wheezed, ribs still a tad sore. 

"Yeah. Now it's our turn. Let's go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sora and Harry sprinted from pillar to pillar, dodging Voldemort's angry curses, and a few from his servants who still had functional wand-arms. 

"Get them! I can't believe this....this is the second time in a week he has slipped from my traps!" The Dark Lord shrieked, running after his enemies, but to no avail, they were already up the stairs, with a Firebolt in Harry's hand. 

The Death Eater sentinels in the first corridor were seriously caught off guard as Sora swung his weapon at their heads, barely missing on purpose....he really didn't like the thought of beheading someone, but you do what you gotta do. The two men fled to the end of the hall, sending easily dodged spells at the two boys. Harry threw open the balcony window, and helped 

his brunette friend up onto the back of his ride, kicking them off into the enveloping night. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Voldemort raced upstairs, knocking over his lazy guards, and out onto the balcony. He could make out a tiny shape flying in the distance. Smirking, he carefully aimed his wand, and fired. "Crucio!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sora felt a spell hit him straight in the back, and he doubled over as the most intense pain engulfed his body. He screamed, and involuntarily squeezed Harry's middle, until the teen cried out and tried to pull out of his grasp. Sora lost his grip and fell into darkness.

"Sora!" Harry screamed, seeker instincts kicking in, and he preformed the best wronski feint of his quidditch career, capturing the unconscious Keyblade Master by his arm mere meters from the ground, and hoisting him up to the front of the broom, veering around to the direction of Hogwarts. 

Two kilometers away, Voldemort cursed in bitter defeat. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When they reached Hogwarts, Harry counted the windows on the East Tower until he reached 42nd, which was wide open for them. Sora realized that it was Dumbledore's office, and Hermione, Ron, Goofy, and Donald were waiting inside with the Headmaster. 

Sora jumped off of the broom immediately and ran into his friends' open arms. He had missed them so much that he had to fight crying. Goofy was openly bawling, however. 

Hermione and Ron likewise embraced Harry, who all kept glancing at their fellow trio in fascination. Wow, a talking duck, and the weirdest dog they had ever seen. 

Then they, too, noticed Sora's morphed weapon. "Sora, what happened to your sword?"

"Oh, Donald found one of my keychains. They can be attached to the blade, and significantly raise its magic power and strength and attacking skill. I'm so thankful to have this particular one, since it is the strongest." Sora said, turning his Keyblade back into a wand. Then Harry remembered Snape. 

"Headmaster! Where is Pro-"

"We received Severus in a terrible condition, but he is now stably recovering in Madam Pomfrey's care. Now, Harry, I thought we had discussed this, that you are not to go on wild rescue missions. You are a student, and it is my responsibility to make sure that you don't go and fall into danger. What you all did tonight was reckless, and yes, even though it was successful, too many things could have gone terribly wrong. I shudder to think what would have happened if Voldemort had captured you, or killed you....." He trailed off for a minute, looking sadly at his Gryffindors. "But besides all of that, I congratulate you all on a successfully carried out mission, I am extremely proud, and worried, for you all. You have a disturbing knack for getting yourselves stuck in complicated plots with the Dark Lord. 

"Well, you have had a long night, and Sora, your friends could stay with you in the dormitory, or have a guest room prepared for them. Which will it be, boys?" Dumbledore laid his hands on Donald and Goofy's shoulders. 

"I want to be with Sora." Goofy said at once, pulling the brunette warrior into a bear hug. "That goes for me, too." Donald put in, his funny lisp making everyone smile. 

"Very well. Dobby and Winky will have two extra beds placed in Gryffindor Tower. Goodnight to all of you. Oh, and welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Donald and Mr. Goofy! I hope you find your stay here enjoyable." The old wizard smiled, leading them down the spiral escalator. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Maybe we should go check up on Snape...." Harry muttered, eyes wandering down the Hospital Ward wing.

"Nah, we can do that tomorrow." Ron said, still eyeing their two odd companions.

"Sora, mind introducing us?" Hermione whispered in the Keyblade Wielder's ear. 

"Oh! Sorry guys, Donald and Goofy, this is Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Harry, Ron, Hermione, meet Donald Duck, and Goofy Goof. Donald's the Magic Kingdom resident Wizard, and Goofy is Captain of the Magic Kingdom Knights." Sora said in a rush. The two parties shook each others' hands. Hermione decided to start another questionnaire once they were safely inside the Common Room. 

"So Donald, do you perform the same magic as Sora, or do you have more practical magic roots?" 

"Uh...I choose the first answer." He said, eyeing the bushy haired girl with jealousy. She sounded smart....too smart. 

"Okay....do you have a wand or staff?"

"It's like an inbetweener." 

"If you don't mind me asking, how can you talk if you are a duck?"

Donald started to get steamed. "What are you implying?" He quacked furiously.

"Nothing offensive, it's just that the animals in this world-"

"Oh, so you think that I'm a wierdo 'cause I can talk?!" 

"Donald! Calm down!" Sora hissed, elbowing his feathery friend. "She's not trying to be offen-"

"Sora, shut up! You ask too many questions, missy!" Donald finally shrieked in his berserk state, and ran upstairs to the room Sora had shown him a while ago. 

The five of them sat in stunned silence in front of the fire, until Goofy decided to speak. "Yu'll have to pardon 'im, guys. He gets touchy when another brainiac challenges him." He said slowly, the twang in his voice very much apparent. It made Harry think of Gone With the Wind for some reason. 

Ron and Harry burst out in laughter. Hermione, who had been red with anxiousness before, turned even redder with embarrassment. "I am not a brainiac, and I didn't challenge him!" 

"Hermione, if anyone's a brainiac, it's you." Harry said through giggles. She reached over and sucker punched his arm. "Ow!"

"Donald doesn't need someone to slap him with a glove in the face to tell him that he's being challenged. He is a very red-blooded duck. You should see the fights WE get into sometimes. Feathers and hair everywhere, and I usually have to get Goofy to pull his jaw off of my leg or arm. He loves to argue, and when he doesn't win at that, it almost always results in a nasty fist fight." Sora explained, showing one of his Donald Turf War scars, a crescent shaped indent in his leg. "His beak can really sink into you." 

Ron yawned in between another gale of merriment. Hermione noticed this and alerted the others that it was indeed time to get to bed. She bade them goodnight and headed to her Prefect's Room. 

Inside the boy's dorm, Donald was sound asleep on his miniature version of the uniform four-poster. Goofy sighed and tucked him in, hugged Sora, Ron, and Harry goodnight, and climbed into an elongated bed for his elongated body. Neville woke up briefly, but Ron, sick of questions, shot a sleeping charm at him. They all were dead to the world once their heads hit the pillows.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: Well, what do you think? Ginny will be much more prominent in the next chapter, so don't worry about her! Please review! 


	10. Attack of the Blonde Ferret

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 10

  
  


author's note: Okay, this is most likely my last update until after June 13th. I'm sorry ya'll, but I promise to write extra fast after I get back! I hope everyone enjoys the first rays of the summer! 

  
  


Sora woke up the next day with Goofy stretched out across him, arms and legs dangling on either side of his four-poster. Donald was curled up like a cat to the right of his head, both snoring loudly. He smacked them both with his pillow, sitting and untangling himself from their motley dog pile.

Harry and the rest of the room woke to the sound of furious quacking and confused "Ahyuck's!"and chuckled merrily when seeing the brawl Sora and Donald were getting into. The duck had the brunette in a headlock, and he in turn was gnawing on the creature's leg. 

"What is with you and pillow fights?" Ron muttered groggily at his new friend, while helping Goofy pull them apart. "I don't want any stressing. Today is the first day of what will be a relaxing weekend, and I'll not go and have it made all crazy because of your wierdness." 

Sora laughed and rubbed the back of his spiky head. "Sorry guys, we were just doing our usual morning routine."

"Why did you two crawl in his bed? The house elves prepared yours specially." Neville asked, and all the other boys nodded, incredulous looks on their faces. 

"Ewwww, you all are so gross! I can tell what you're thinking! They only came into mine because they are used to our size beds." Sora's nose wrinkled. Stupid hormonal children.

"Yeah, and we really missed our Sora." Goofy quipped, pulling his friend into another bear hug. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At breakfast, EVERYONE stared at the two animals who were walking and talking amongst them. Dumbledore knew this would happen, so he stood and addressed the school.

"Students, I want you to please welcome Goofy and Donald! They are honored guests, and will be staying with us for a little while. They are with Sora." Eyes still lingered on the two long after breakfast was over, but neither seemed too disturbed by it. 

Before noon, the six of them stopped by Dumbledore's office, where Goofy and Donald tried on the Sorting Hat. Both were sent to Gryffindor, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sora, and Dumbledore patted them on the back, gushing with congratulations. Then the most peculiar thing happened. The Hat coughed, and then started to wheeze and shudder, as if about to sneeze. Then, with a loud "Ackchoo!," the feathery mage's Save the Queen staff flew out of the old Sorter's rip of a mouth. Then, to everyone's further astonishment, the hat started to expand, like it was getting fat. It groaned and stretched to the size of a beach ball, except flat, and Goofy's shield, Save the King, popped out of the opening at the bottom. All seven people stared at the poor bedraggled hat, who was flopped in a heap on the floor, panting and coughing. The Headmaster picked it up, and it muttered, "Last time I sort wierdos from other worlds....ow, that's going to be sore tomorrow!" 

The two warriors picked up their prizes, and relief coursed through them as well as the Keyblade Master. Well, at least they had their magic, and their best weapons. Voldemort had better watch out!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The two trios walked outside for a while, giving Sora's friends a tour of the grounds. They were introduced to Hagrid, who immediately fawned all over them since they were cuddly, lovable, dangerous beasts! Goofy had an animated conversation with Fang, although no one besides Donald could translate the "woofs" and "arf-arfs" and "barks." 

After tea, which the duck and the dog were not too keen on (to Sora's amusement), they then strolled around Hogwarts, Hermione showing them the library, Ron racing them the owlery, and Harry pointing out a window to the quidditch pitch, trying to explain to them the rules of the game. Donald decided to bury himself in the dusty tomes of the school library with Hermione, and Ron escorted the tall hound out to the game field to teach him how to properly ride a broomstick. That left Harry and Sora, who walked to the infirmary to check up on the Potions Master. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Poppy, get away from me before I curse you with something!" Snape threatened, halfheartedly attempting to fend off the nurse's examining hands. 

"My my, Severus! You are not at all up to your usual standards of biting remarks and acerbic comebacks. You hit your head harder than I thought! Now, stop squirming, I need to see that everything is working..." Her hands went to pull down his bed covers, but at that moment the two Gryffindor boys knocked on the door, and Snape yanked them back up around his waist. He hated these flimsy hospital gowns!

"Madam Pomfrey? Is it alright if we came in to visit the professor?" Harry asked through the door. 

"Of course, Mr. Potter! Oh, and Sora, too! Wonderful!, Severus could use some social interaction. He was just about to receive his check-up, but I can wait a little while before I need to do that. I'll be in my office, call me once you go to leave." And she bustled out of the ward, patting Snape on the shoulder as she went by. That left the two boys, and their professor who hated their guts in the room alone. 

"How are you feeling, Professor?" Harry asked quietly, the uncomfortable tension in the air stifling.

"Fine."

Sora wasn't about to let the awkwardness of the situation make him nervous. "When are you going to be released?" 

"Tomorrow."

"Oh, well that's good."

"Mm..."

They all sat there, not wanting to look at each other, the silence making them itch. 

"We're even now, sir." Harry whispered, standing to leave.

"I know." Snape replied, looking up to meet his eyes. They both knew that he was grateful for what the two boys went through to save him, and he nodded his head, holding out his hand in truce. 

Harry was quick to grasp it and shake firmly, Sora did the same after they let go. The fifth years turned to leave, calling out to Madame Pomfrey that they were going. 

As they reached the hall separating the matron's offices from the ward, Draco Malfoy creaked open the door from the staircase tower. The nurse emerged from her lab, and at seeing Draco, went to run back in, but he stunned her too quick, eyes glittering as she fell to the floor. Harry pulled Sora and himself behind a curtain, turning silent, listening. Draco had not seen them yet. 

"Well well well, Professor. Nasty night you must have had. I'm surprised that you are still alive." The snake drawled, and the two eavesdroppers peered around the white sheet, seeing a wand being raised to Snape's eye level. "Father is not pleased, so I am not pleased. My Lord was most upset that you escaped, so he sent me to clean up the others' error."

"Figures that you wouldn't have the capacity to be intelligent enough to see how wrong you really are. Pity, and I thought you had talent." Snape bit, his face resigned. Draco growled and backhanded his teacher with a resounding slap. The former Deatheater simply turned his cheek a little, no sign of pain on any of his feature. 

"I will take great pleasure in killing you, you slimy traitor. I'll see you in Hell!" And he waved his wand to complete his spell, but Sora intervened. 

"Stopra!" He yelled, freezing the culprit's actions and running to his professor's side. "Reversus!" And his Keyblade appeared, brandished under the frozen mini-Deatheater's throat. As the spell wore off, Draco, glaring at the Keyblade Master, whimpered as the mithril tip scratched into the soft skin of his neck. 

"Drop the stick." The brunette threatened, pushing the boy away from the hospital bed. Malfoy complied, and threw his wand to the floor, raising his hands in defeat. 

Harry rushed forward to pick up the fallen ebony, but Draco, in a last malicious sucker move, kicked him in the head. Sora wheeled his weapon back and brought the handle down to contact with the top of Malfoy's cranium, knocking him, unconscious, to the floor. 

Snape eased out of bed, helping Harry into the adjacent cot, bringing forth a rag to wipe away the blood dripping from his nose and mouth. The teen handed the Keyblade Wielder Draco's wand. "Go to Madame Pomfrey and say, "Ennervate." 

Sora did, and the matron awoke, eyes panicked and searching. When seeing Draco out cold on the floor, she breathed a sigh of relief, and took Sora's hands to help her up. 

"What on earth did he want?" She asked, and after tending to Harry's new cuts with a few waves of her wand, she floated the blonde up onto another bed, the one with straps. He was tied down, and an alarm spell was placed around the cubicle. She then flooed the Headmaster's office, and he appeared out of the fire. 

Harry explained what they had heard, and Dumbledore decided to hold Draco there under tight security. An pair of Aurors were immediately summoned to guard him all the time, and the strongest holding spells were placed on his bed and bonds. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When the six Gryffindors caught up with each other later in the day, Sora and Harry relayed the story to them, and it was concluded that Draco had been up to the Dark Lord's work before...Hermione knew that the blonde had something to do with her kidnapping. They decided that they would look into it later, Harry and Ron had to get dressed for a quidditch match against Ravenclaw. 

Ginny was in the common room while Hermione, Sora, Donald, and Goofy waited for the boys to finish getting ready. Sora decided to be bold and sit next to her, and she blushed furiously. The brunette had nothing to say except, "So, do you like kwid snitch?" 

The fourteen year old giggled and said, "It's 'quidditch,' and yes, I'm a pretty big fan of our House team, with three brothers and Harry on it. I also like the Chudley Cannons, they're a national British league." Sora blushed at his mistake, but laughed with her. She was gracious and curious about Donald and Goofy, who also thought she had a striking resemblance to Kairi. 

Ron and Harry ran downstairs, now clothed in their scarlet and gold-trimmed robes, the green-eyed boy's Firebolt at his side, and the taller teen's Cleansweep 7 by his. The Boy-Who-Lived's cheeks paled when he saw his crush and Sora sitting close and giggling. He definitely would have to chat with the Keyblade Master about this....he hated liking and despising Sora at the same time. But Ginny was HIS crush, and he didn't know what he would try to do to the brunette if he stole her away. They all headed down to the grounds, quidditch trumpets blaring from the pitch, sending excited adrenaline to all of their heads. 

Ginny gave both her brother and Harry a kiss good luck, as did Hermione. Sora patted them on the back, and joined the girls and his best pals in the Gryffindor stands. The bludgers, quaffle, and snitch were released, and the game began.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After the party in Gryffindor common room (they had won 240 to 100), the boys headed upstairs, full of butterbeer, which was a drink that Sora deemed tolerable, and sweets. They all muttered their 'Goodnight's, and snuggled into their four posters. Goofy and Donald's beds were returned to their normal form, and they all fell into dreamland.

Not an hour later, Sora was prodded awake by a sharp scimitar's tip at his throat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Author's note: yeah, another cliffy. Please review! 


	11. Missing Ferret: short chapter!

Of Wizards and Keyblades: chapter 11  
  


author's note: thanks for being so patient, I'm back now and very able to carry on with the story.  
  
  
  


Sora tried to sit up and maneuver his hand towards the bedside table where his disguised sword lay, but his attacker just dug his scimitar's deadly tip further into the brunette's vulnerable neck. He did not let the enemy get the satisfaction of a cry of whimper of pain. 

His unknown enemy chuckled, a sound similar to nails being scratched on a chalkboard, and grabbed a fistful of Sora's spiky hair, yanking his face back to stare into bright, bottomless orbs. He tried to yank away from the creature he now knew to be a Light Killer, but the thing growled and drew a drop of crimson from the nape of his neck in warning. 

Sora calmed a bit. The thing wasn't sent here to kill him, otherwise it would have done so already. But is was here to tell him something.

"Keep quiet or I'll slit your throat! I have come to relay a message, a warning to you from the Dark One: Do not tangle with forces you can't comprehend. The Dark One knows where the Keyhole is...you will not find it in time. He will come for you and the Scarred One soon. Beware!" 

Sora stared at the Heartless, face hardened with grim understanding Why would he tell the enemy such a valuable piece of info.....unless it was a distraction, or even worse, a trap.

When the dark creature least expected it, the Keyblade Master tossed his head back and brought his knees up and around the little body straddling him, and then slammed them down, effectively pinning it to the bed. He grasped the wand and yelled "Reversus!" And started lobbing the minion to pieces with the Keyblade. It shrieked and tried to fight back, but Sora had it's arms off before it could say, "Ow." Now, that woke up the whole of Gryffindor tower. 

"What the bloody hell?!" Ron yelled, rolling out of his bed to help Harry pull Sora out of the gruesome mess of the mangled Light Killer. As soon as the thing had finally died, the body evaporated, a lone heart floating up and out to the sky. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ten minutes later, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Goofy, Donald, and Sora were running out of the portrait hole and down twisting corridors, and moving stairs. All the while they were fervently discussing what happened through bursts of heavy breaths.

"Well, it was definitely there to detain you from something....what could have happened? And what would Voldemort do with our Keyhole?" Hermione whispered, unsure of where they were going. 

" I think I know why he distracted you." Harry panted, turning another corridor They made their way to the Infirmary, where Sora got the feeling that something terrible had happened. He could smell death.

"I don't like this." Donald rasped, pulling out his wand. Goofy placed his shield in the defensive position, and the brunette gripped his blade tightly. Ron grasped the door knob and yanked it open.

Inside, Hermione gasped and backed up to the wall. Two aurors where lying on the floor in a pool of dark blood, huge gaping holes in their chests. Ron ran to the Nurse's office, and inside they found Madame Pomfrey, cornered but bravely battling her way through a dozen Light Killers, trying to get to the alarm button. She had a look of grim determination on her face, like she knew that she needed to try, though it was hopeless for her. Sora and his two pals jumped in, cutting and blasting their way to the Nurse, who upon seeing them, grew even more fearful.

"What are you doing here?! Get out and call for help! Leave me!" She cried, tossing spells that only annoyed the Heartless. 

"No way, Madame Pomfrey!" Harry yelled, rushing over to a large red button on the wall, and slamming his palm into it. 

Immediately, sirens blared in the ward, and down the hall, then everywhere in the castle. A minute later, the fireplace roared to life and Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Flitwick popped out. Their eyes bugged upon seeing the aurors, and only Dumbledore and Snape weren't freaking about the Heartless.

Spells flew, but the Light Killers were adept at reflecting them, taught by the Dark Lord himself. In the end, however, there were only two left, and with a quick twirl of his blade, Sora lunged and slashed off their heads. 

Panting, they helped the Nurse into one of her own beds, Snape pulling out potions and busying himself with them. 

"Uh, sir....did you move Malfoy?" Ron asked, pointing at the empty bed, where straps lay, slashed, over it. 

"Shit." Snape swore, dropping his vial. 

Sora agreed. Somehow, he knew that Draco was still roaming the castle, looking for something.....perhaps a Keyhole.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: I'm sorry it's so short and abrupt, but I'm rather preoccupied with a rather large book at the moment, like most of us. I know who dies, and I cried a bit over him/her....but I won't spoil it for you all! I'd love to discuss it with someone, I have so much I want to talk about! Please review!! 


	12. A MuchNeeded Visit

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 12

pairings: GW/Sora, GW/HP, RW/HG, Sora/Kairi

  
  


author's note: I finally got around to updating this chapter, I guess I just wasn't in the mood since I've finished Phoenix. *sigh* I've been mourning. Caution: mushiness ahead! Anywho, let's continue!

  
  


Sora helped the other teachers search the castle for the rogue Malfoy, but to no avail. An hour later, Snape came in from the storm outside and reported that traces of an apparition spell were found in the Forbidden Forest. 

"The Light Killers must have disabled the ward system and destroyed his bonds. How could they have done it? They couldn't have apparated inside.....how did they get past my spells?" McGonagall muttered, heading towards the staircase to her quarters. 

"Minerva, I would be very grateful if you assisted the staff and myself in reinforcing the wards." Dumbledore said before she had mounted the stairs. She turned and headed back to their small group. "Harry, I have a special favor to ask of you." Dumbledore motioned for the teen to come over to him, which he did. 

"Harry, I think that our wards are not enough now that the Heartless know how to break them. I was hoping that you could place a few Parseltongue passwords, so that only Voldemort or yourself could break them. It should keep out his lackeys for a while at least." The Headmaster whispered to him, and Harry slowly nodded his head in agreement. 

"I'll help you then."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Harry came back from outside, he and Sora and his friends finally went to bed, exhausted mentally and physically. It was all they could do to stay awake long enough to pull off their shoes and fall into bed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

'The sunset's so nice.' Said Kairi, as she sat precariously on the edge of the boardwalk. "Yeah..." Replied Sora half-heartedly, tossing a pebble into the clear sea water. The pixie-haired girl stood up abruptly, and strolled down the walk to the little island with the cluster of tall palm trees. The Keyblade Master followed her with curious interest, until she stopped by the Paopu tree. 

'I believe the paopu legend, what about you, Lazy Bum?' She giggled, trying to reach a star-shaped fruit. Sora shrugged, and used his Keyblade to knock an edible star off the tree. She smiled and held it tenderly in her hands. 'Share one with me?' Her eyes were wide and loving, and she bit into one point of the fruit, then held it out for him. 

'Kairi....sure.' he accepted her offer and took a small bite from the citrus. A warm tingle crept its way across his tongue, down his throat, and settled on the left side of his chest, inside his heart. 

They sat back down on the paopu tree, and Kairi sighed in contentment, her head resting on her friend's shoulder. "I miss you, Sora. You've been gone for four months and six days...it's so quiet here without you, and Riku. I'm lonely. Where are you right now?' 

'Goofy, Donald, and I are in this new world, it's full of magic. I'm in the magic school, and I have made many new friends. But there's a new enemy, the worst yet.' 

Kairi's head shot up and she stared at him. 'But aren't the worlds separated? That's why you're not here...'

'I know, but....well, we don't know how it happened. I think the Light sent me here because, well, they really need me. This world's keyhole is very important, and the Darkness is trying to find it. It's right under my nose, but I can't see it.' he trailed off, he was so frustrated about the whole situation that a lone tear trickled out of his eye. Kairi saw this, and caught it on her finger before it touched his lips. 

'It's okay to cry, Sora. Don't be afraid.' and he let go of the bottled up fear and anxiety in Kairi's arms. Another world's destiny was tossed upon his shoulders, and for the first time he was buckling under the weight. He refrained from sobbing and wailing, but he did not stopper the flow of salty tears. 

'Kairi, I'm worried about this world. These friends are unlike any I've made in any of the worlds besides you and Riku. I don't want...to lose them, too.' and now his secret fear was out, ever since he had his first conversation with Harry and Hermione, his first joke with Ron, and his first blush at Ginny, Sora knew that he shouldn't get attached. He would be catapulted back one day, unexpectedly, and he would never see any of them again. 

He told his best friend about Voldemort, about how the Light Killers could sneak into the most protected fortress and attack him in his sleep, and how Draco had escaped, and tried to hurt the people he cared for. She just listened intently and rubbed his shoulder. She was a warm, familiar comfort that Sora missed dearly. He knew this was just a dream, and that Kairi wasn't really holding him while the sun set upon Destiny Islands, his home. The thought did not help his worry. "I miss you, Kairi.' 

Kairi pulled him away slowly, and looked into his bloodshot eyes. ' Sora, don't ever forget: wherever you go, I'm always with you.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The brunette woke with a yawn. He felt oddly refreshed, like a weight had been lifted from his back, even though it was seven o'clock on Monday morning. He tried to recall what he had been dreaming about....but all he could remember was warmth, and someone telling him not to forget something. Shrugging, he rubbed his eyes, which were itchy for some reason, and rolled out of bed. 

After Sora had relieved himself, brushed his teeth and hair, and pulled on his robes, a prickling shiver ran up his spine when he saw his bed. It was covered in patches of sand, and a paopu fruit was half hidden under his pillow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: I know, that was oddly sappy and kind of angsty, but I wanted to give Sora a bit more dynamics. You don't really see a lot of different emotions besides anger and cheerfulness in the game, and I'm just feeling a bit....evil...today. Next chapter should be out before Saturday. Please review! 


	13. Snape's a KnockOut

Of Wizards and Keyblades: chapter 13

  
  


pairings: HP/GW, HG/RW, Sora/Kairi, Sora/GW

  
  


author's note: story's in it's waning stage. Thanks for sticking with me!

  
  


Harry got up from his bed, rubbing sleep from his bleary eyes. He reached for his glasses, and turned to sleepily survey the sunlit room. He caught site of the bed next to his, where Sora sat, hunched, cradling something to his chest. 

"Sora? What's the matter?" He asked, moving over to his friend's side. The brunette started, twisting around to turn glistening eyes on the Boy Who Lived. 

"O-oh, Harry! Nothing's the matter...I just had a...dream." He mumbled, his hands moving away from his chest to wipe at his eyes, and Harry could see a yellow star, with leaves sticking out of one end. Sitting down on the bed, the wizard immediately jumped back up again, dusting sand off his pj's. 

"Why in the blazes do you have...SAND in you bed?" Harry exclaimed, waking up the rest of the dormitory. 

"Uh, it m-must've been from my shoes, and I'll tell you about the paopu later." The Keyblade Master whispered, eyeing the shifting figures around him and stuffing the fruit into his pocket. "Meet me by the oak." And with that, Sora dashed out of the tower, the common room, and down the stairs until he reached the floor, then proceeded outside towards the lake. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry dressed, and left Ron a brief note on his pillow. He followed Sora's path, and emerged from the castle to a glare of brilliant morning sunlight. The teen trotted down to the side of the lake, where Sora sat under the largest oak tree, tossing the funny star-shaped thing up in the air and catching it again. Harry dropped down beside him.

"So, what is this....papoose?"

Sora chuckled. "It's a paopu. It's a rare fruit, that grows only on MY island." 

"Wow, you saved it for that long?" 

Sora stared at the fruit. "No, I found it in my bed this morning, after I had a dream about being on my island with Kairi." Harry looked at the fruit in amazement, but thought that nothing should surprise him anymore. 

"Kairi.....Goofy said she looked a lot like Ginny." Harry muttered, picking at the grass. 

"Yeah, she does. And she's sweet like her, too."

"Look, Sora, uh....I like Ginny. A lot. You do, too, don't you?" The raven-haired boy asked, becoming still.

The Keyblade Wielder looked embarrassed at the question. "Well, yeah. But I know that she is meant for you." Harry gawked at him in disbelief. "Which is why I think I have the paopu. You see, there's a legend that goes along with this fruit. It says that if two people share it, their hearts become linked forever. No matter what. So, I want you to have it, and share it with Ginny." He tossed the citrus over to his friend, who caught it one-handed. 

They sat there for what seemed like a lifetime, enjoying the morning weather, both deep in thought. Finally, Harry spoke. 

"Sora, I don't need this to be connected with Ginny. I love her, and she cares for me, and doesn't that create a bond never to be broken? How about if...." Harry trailed off, staring at the star in his hands. Abruptly, he tore the fruit in half, and offered one piece to his awe-struck companion. "We've become good friends while you were here. You saved my life, twice, and Hermione's, and Snape's. We've been through a lot together, in the short time I've known you. And I don't know when you are leaving, if you ever do. And from what you told me, if you go, we may never see each other again. So, how 'bout we make ourselves a permanent connection? And if the legend's true, not space, time, or death could break this bond." Harry smiled, and bit into the fruit. "Mmm, tastes like and orange! And it tingles!" 

Sora was surprised by this caring proposal, and fought back happy tears. He would never loose his friends if their hearts were connected, which was already true, but the act of sharing the paopu was an official symbol of their lifelong friendship, and it promised that neither Harry nor himself would forget or loose each other. Ever. 

So, giving Harry a carefree grin, he sank his teeth into the meat of the star, savoring the taste, and shivering at the warm tingle that travelled down his throat to rest inside his heart. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where've you two been? Ron and I were worried sick!" Hermione chastised, tossing Harry his backpack. "We're going to be late for Charms if we don't hurry!" Goofy and Donald trotted to keep up, and the tall Shield-Wielding warrior handed Sora his pack. 

"Didn't you get my note, Ron?" Harry asked, taking the steps two at a time up to the Charms corridor. 

Ron looked at him with a apologetic grin, "You left a note?" 

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and gave Ron a punch in the shoulder. He whined all the way to the classroom.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Good morning, class! Please welcome two guests for our lesson today, Donald and Goofy!" Professor Flitwick squeaked, standing on his desk. "For this hour, we will be practicing 'Corpus Levis,' and I want you all to pair off and be very careful....I have lined all furniture in this room with a pillow charm, just in case. You may begin!" 

For the next hour Sora and Hermione cast the "Floating Body" charm on each other, making the other float a few feet in the air. It was Neville, surprisingly, who perfected the charm first and got Hannah Abbott to hover six feet above the floor. Harry and Ron were too busy laughing behind their hands when Seamus jumbled his words and had Dean hanging upside down from the ceiling. Sora and Hermione, who were both smirking mischievously, turned around and shot their charms at Goofy and Donald, who had been sitting in a corner, very quiet. All of a sudden, both found themselves soaring six feet from their chairs, and they both laughed, well, Donald was trying to feign indignance. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The six of them trooped down for lunch, which consisted of grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries. 

When checking their schedule tables, Sora, Hermione, Ron, and Harry groaned with dismay at seeing Double Potions in their next two hours. "Well, best head off if we want choice seats...." Ron muttered sarcastically, shifting his bag onto his shoulder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Down in the dungeons, the Slytherins seemed eerily quiet. The loss of Draco's presence had disheartened them. Harry and his friends found this a drastic change, but for the better.

"Settle down, class." Snape drawled, after he opened the door and they all filed in. "Today you will be attempting, and I stress on attempting, to create a very difficult and potent concoction named the "Living Draught." It is a highly tempermental potion, so you will need to concentrate all of your simple thought on this. Directions are on the board. Begin." 

Snape had totally ignored Donald and Goofy, who were looking unwelcomed and out of place, so Sora decided to use them as assistants, as he heated his cauldron, and asked them to get the ingredients from the cupboard. Hermione and Neville were faring very well by the end of the first hour, their potion was a glimmering amethyst, the proper color, while Ron and Harry's was an indigo. Sora, who really was trying his best, kept being distracted by his two friends, both of whom were getting the ingredients switched, and the stirring directions botched. 

"No, Donald! It's supposed to be stirred counterclockwise for three minutes! Aw man!" The gloppy green ooze that was his potion had begun to boil heavily, until the froth almost overflowed from the pot's rim. "Quick, Goofy! Get me some water!" Goofy took three large strides over to the sink and filled a bucket with water, and handed it to his anxious human friend.

Just as Sora stemmed the impending eruption, and lowered the flames, Snape walked over, and cast a disgusting sneer down at his creation....or more appropriately, catastrophe. 

"What. Is. This." He whispered, ladling out a spoonful of the ectoplasmic substance. 

"Well, it was supposed to be the Living Draught." Sora gave him a weak smile, which died quickly at the look on his professor's face. 

"Fool! The directions specifically wrote that only seven Boomslang scales were needed, and you utterly decimated the shrivelfig, which turned it green, and then you muddled up the stirring instructions that were as clear as glass! Are you deliberately wasting my ingredients?" Snape spat, eyes narrowed and biting. Goofy positioned himself in front of Sora, acting as a shield from the livid teacher. 

"You're outa line goin' an' yellin' at Sora like that!" He said with his characteristic twang. "It was us who messed up the potion." 

Snape was eye level with the humanoid animal, and looked put off by this loss of advantage. "I don't care who 'messed it up,' he is responsible for it, and if you are not one of my pupils, I kindly suggest that you let me deal with those who are myself. This is not your concern." He glared at Goofy, who glared right back. 

"Now just a minute, you greasy villain!" Donald rasped, now standing on the desk. Sora groaned and put his head in his hands. The whole class was transfixed on the situation. "If Sora's being yelled at for something he didn't do, it is our concern!" The duck yelled, jumping up and down in his fury. "You're a bad teacher!" 

Harry, Sora, and the rest of the class, winced. Uh-oh. Criticizing Snape's teaching methods was the wroooong way to pick a fight....or maybe, the most effective way. 

Snape pulled himself up to his full and formidable height, and glared so ferociously that Sora would have shrieked like a girl and scrambled over the desks to get away from him, had he not been rooted to the spot. "Get. Out." Was all the man said, but neither duck nor dog budged. The Potions Master yanked his wand from his sleeve, and raised it to cast a hex, but Donald whapped him smartly over his head, and the man fell to the stone flagged floor, out cold. The whole class was in a surreal state of silent shock. Sora cursed, and stared down at Snape. "Perfect, guys, just peachy. Now we're gonna get it." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: wow, that was longer that I thought it was gonna be! I'm on a roll with this one, aren't I? :) Please review!


	14. Riku's Strange Visit

Of Wizards and Keyblades: chapter 14

  
  


pairings: HP/GW, RW/HG, Sora/Kairi

  
  
  
  
  
  


Sora sat in McGonagall's office with Donald and Goofy, mortified by what his friends had done. These were his last breathing moments. Snape .Was .Going. To. MURDER. Him. And he knew that the man would take no pleasure in simply doing it quick and clean, like a beheading, but some barbaric form of torture that wore away at his soul over a long period of time. That was probably the man's style. Goofy and Donald seemed totally oblivious to their imminent peril. 'Geez.' sometimes, Sora really worried about those two. 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione shared his grief, but they were not scared for their health, more like the health of their House's Point Hourglass. The Keyblade Master could still hear Hermione's shrill muttering in his ear, "Attacking a teacher, that will be at least 50 house points! Slytherin will have a 60 point lead!" 

McGonagall entered the office at last, and rounded her large oak desk to sit directly across from her three alien students. She did NOT look happy.

"You.....I ha-...I can't-, oh blast it all! EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!" She stuttered and then roared, stray hairs coming loose from her tight black bun. The spiky-haired boy flinched, but Donald rose, like always, to the confrontation. Goofy, being the peacekeeper, clamped his hand on the duck's bill to keep him at bay. Then looked apologetically at McGonagall.

"It weren't Sora's fault, ma'am. He was just doin' his work, and Donald and me messed it up somehow. Mister Snape there went and blew up in my buddy here's face for no reason, and we merely stood up to the bully." The tall dog finished, patting his human friend's shoulder.

Their Head of House looked horrified. She stared unblinkingly at them, as though they were picking each others' noses. "Stood....up? To Snape? How thick are you two?! You ATTACKED a member of Hogwarts staff! This could mean suspen-" she was cut off, however, from the timely arrival of Dumbledore. He smiled at them all, and conjured up an extra cushy armchair next to his employee's desk. Then he turned fixedly to McGonagall.

"I just visited Professor Snape in the hospital ward. He has agreed not to press charges, if you two agree...."and he then stared at Goofy and Donald, "never to come into his dungeons again, or come within ten feet of his person. You wouldn't find that too strenuous, would you?" Sora saw the twinkling, and relaxed. No charges. Whew. 

When the brunette saw a Slytherinesque glimmer outshine the usual twinkle in the old man's eyes, he knew that Snape would have cursed him and his friends to the center of Hell if the Headmaster would not have stepped in.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry whirled around when he heard the portrait slide back, and grimaced apprehensively when Sora, face turned to the floor, Donald, and Goofy(who hit his head when trying to climb in) entered their common room. The Keyblade Master straightened his gloomy posture suddenly and a huge triumphant grin spread over his face. Hermione audibly released her held breath and Ron tossed himself onto the couch. Harry grinned back. Sora told then what happened.

"No punishment! How do you like that?" Ron sulked, his eyes showed his admiration. 

"I find it very lucky. Harry seems to have rubbed off on you, Sora. He has a knack for getting in AND out of crazy situations." Hermione smiled, spreading her homework out on the table and sorting it. Sora smirked and headed up to his bed, where he collapsed on it with a sigh. Before he closed his eyes, however, he saw a bright glimmer out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he was stunned into shock to see none other than Riku sitting rigidly on Harry's four-poster, surrounded by a shining aura. 

"R-R-Riku?" He whispered, sitting up to reach out to the figment. But as he went to pull on the older boy's cheeks, his fingers slipped through as they would to a ghost. His throat burned with disappointment and sadness. "Are you.....real?" 

The alabaster-haired warrior's usually bright aqua eyes were dull and dark, but as Sora pulled back, he suddenly shot forward, slamming his matter-less body into the startled Keyblade Masters. The world went dark.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Black. Pitch black. Nothing around him but utter darkness. Sora swam in it, breathed it in, tasted it. It felt cool and diluting, dissolving this thoughts into sweet nothingness. He wallowed in the dark for what seemed like Eternity, before something tugged on his consciousness. It was a disconcerting, nagging itch that caused him to shrug off the lethargic peace like a warm and comfortable cloak. 

He became aware that the blackness surrounding him was suddenly ominous and frightening. He couldn't see the shapes, but knew by instinct that they were there. Then, there an odd sensation swept over him, like his brain and eyes were detaching from his body, and he observed himself while thinking off to the side.

But it was not HIS body he was looking right at, but Riku's. So this was the Darkness beyond the Door to the Light....where Riku and King Mickey were. The fear of the blackness grew, and he could faintly see a whole sea of unblinking yellow eyes.....the Heartless's birthplace. They moved ceaselessly, like a restless wave, and Sora thought, 'they are rallying....something is about to happen to them.' 

  
  


Suddenly, reality had smacked him in the face, full force. He was in the dorm, lying face down on the bed, winded and sweaty. Riku was no where in sight. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

author's note: *cackles like an old witch* Yeeeees, another cliffhanger! Sorry it's so short, I'll try to make up for it in the next chapter. Please review!


	15. just checking that ya saw the update:

Just a note: 

  
  
  
  


Since the new chapter replaced the apology notice, I don't think ff.n has seen it as an update, so this is to let you know that the new chapter is up. Thanks, hope I didn't confuse you!


	16. The Hunt Begins

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 15

  
  


WARNING: MINOR OotP SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER

  
  


pairings: Sora/Kairi, HP/GW, HG/RW

  
  


Author's Note: I finally stopped having my achies.....and I'll tell ya what, I really don't like getting blood work done. *shivers* I have this fear of needles...and when the nurse came at me with that sucker, I freaked! So I put a needle scene in this chapter:) But anyway, school is drawing alarmingly nearer, and I still haven't finished this, so I am trying to get my butt in gear. I'm planning about 2 more chapters before the epilogue. 

  
  


Thank You's:*OotP Spoilers in "theunknownpokeball's"*

  
  


crystal-chan: You poor thing! Hope your toe feels better! And I have a retainer, too, so I feel your pain:) *pats on back* Lol, tell Sora I said "thanks!":) You should take a nap if you're dead on your feet!

  
  


FlikFreak: aaw, thanks!

  
  


Arow: Thanks, I feel much better now!

  
  


DarknessWithinOnesHeart: I'm a master of cliffhangers! Muahaha! Yep, there is another at the end of this chapter, too! I love keeping you on your toes:)

  
  


Jade Star: I'm so glad you enjoy my story:) Yes, I love Snape, but he DOES deserve to get knocked on the head, lol!

  
  


Mare: Thanks for your review!

  
  


Saturnmkch12: *sniffs* thanks so much!

  
  


Cloudsdarkyasha: here it is! Thanks for reviewing!

  
  


Sanosuke Hidane: we'll see:)

  
  


theunkownpokeball: *starts crying* I don't think I write about Snuffles right now....I'm still mourning...:*( Actually, you just gave me a really good idea.....thanks!

  
  


MiseryBahamut: *hands a tissue* Thank you so much for the compliment! I'm flattered to no extent that you think my story is decent enough for your praise:) I'm so glad you enjoy it!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Harry entered the dormitory, he found Sora lying still on his back on the bed, a spaced-out expression covering his face.

"Sora?" He asked quietly, moving over to survey his friend.

"The door....is open." He murmured, his eyes glazed, and his voice not his own. It unnerved the Boy Who Lived.

"Sora, c'mon....snap out of it!" he slapped the boy's cheek soundly, and the Keyblade Master groaned groggily, and shifted onto his elbows. "Where am I?"

Harry gawped at him. "You're in the Gryffindor dorm room at Hogwarts. Ringing a bell?" he felt Sora's forehead, he was burning up. "Let's go see Madam Pomfrey, you're as hot as spiced curry!" 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As they staggered down the stairs( Harry was having difficulty supporting a faint Sora), they ran into Donald and Goofy, who had just been to see Dumbledore. 

"What happened?!" Donald quacked, rushing to help Harry support the semi-conscious teen.

"RIKU! Door......RUN! Heartless......around...." Sora rambled, his eyes rolling back into his head, and his legs collapsed. Harry tried to heft him up, but the young warrior was a dead weight. 

"I found him like this! He was lying there, comatose, muttering something about a door being open, and I felt his head, and he's burning up!" Goofy pulled off his glove and repeated Harry's earlier procedure.

"It's about 103 d'grees! C'mon, we need to hurry!" And they carried their friend down four more flights, finally making it to the hospital ward.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"No....leggo! Riku....THE DOOR!!" Sora shrieked, as Madam Pomfrey and Harry strapped restraints onto his limbs. 

"He's hallucinating due to the high fever. We need to lower it. I'll have to inject him with a potion, but I also need a spell casted simultaneously. I need Miss Granger! One of you go fetch her for me! Quickly!" Pomfrey said hurriedly, casting a cooling spell on her patient.

Donald scuttled out of the room, and his sqwacks of "Hermioneeeee!!!" were heard all through the castle. 

Five minutes later, the duck, Hermione, and Dumbledore ran in. Hermione, who was training to be a Healer, immediately assisted in the procedures to Sora, while the Headmaster pulled Harry, Goofy, and Donald away to give the two witches room to work.

"Now Sora, this needle is going to hurt a bit....brace yourself...." And the nurse pushed in the thick needle with a quick thrust. Sora cried out in pain. Just as she started injecting the thick neon-blue serum, Hermione began a long rhythmic chant in Latin. The Keyblade Wielder, looking much more child-like as painful tears streamed from his eyes, and he whimpered as the thick potion was pushed into his bloodstream. Hermione finished her spell, and slumped down to hold Sora's hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two hours later, Sora was down to a normal temperature, and was no longer babbling insanely. 

"Sora....can you tell me what happened?" Dumbledore quietly inquired, patting the boy on the hand reassuringly. 

"The Door to the Light has opened.....I saw it though Riku's eyes. An endless army of Heartless are preparing to swarm into this world. The door is in the Hogwarts. I need to find it, and close it once more."

Dumbledore started. "But why would it open here? Why now?"

"Voldemort has found it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, Sora was released. His first priority was to find the Door. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Donald, and Goofy trailed behind him bemusedly, as he rushed through the castle, his search fruitless. Frustrated, he finally whirled around to Harry. 

"Who in this bloody ENDLESS castle would know where to find the Door?!" He breathed raggedly, his headache pounding furiously on his brain. 

Harry shrugged his shoulders. He could only think...."Dumbledore?" Sora ran his hands roughly through his spiky hair. 

"NO! Not him! He doesn't know! Anyone else?" 

"House elves....?" Ron piped up cautiously, hoping the brunette wouldn't bite his head off. Sora stared at him with a look of excitement. 

"Ron, I could---Hermione, would you kiss Ron for me?" He said before tearing off down the halls, towards the kitchens he and his guy friends had visited earlier in the week. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Dobby? Dobby!" The Keyblade Wielder shouted above the army of house elves' heads, until the one he was searching for bobbed into view. 

"Master Sora! What can Dobby do for Sir today?" The elf squeaked, bowing to his friend. "And Master Harry Potter! How happy Dobby is that you is visiting him, Sir!" As he hugged Harry's middle, Sora addressed him with impatience. 

"Dobby, is there a special door in this castle that goes to another world?" Only after he said that did he realize how stupid that sounded. Dobby looked at him with excitement, though. 

"Is Sir 'requiring' it greatly?"

"Yes! Do you know where it is?" He began getting hopeful.

"Dobby is knowing a place you might find it, Sir!" The elf hopped up into Harry's arms, so that he could stare Sora in the eye. "Dobby leads you to it now, Master Sora!" 

Just as the party headed to the fruit portrait, a huge explosion shook the foundations of the castle. The elves squealed in fear and surprise, and the teens cried out as they fell onto each other in a heap. 

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Ron exclaimed, trying to stand, but another blast rocked the floor, and he lost his balance again. 

Sora's instinct put him on the defensive mode, and he turned his wand into his silver weapon. "The Heartless are here." Harry screamed in sudden agony after this remark, clutching his scarred forehead. 

After he gained control of his voice, he rasped, "And Voldemort, too. He's going to try and take Hogwarts..." Suddenly, his eyes grew red and evil. He cackled, and it sent chills down everyone's spines. "I will open the Keyhole...." And he blacked out. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Author's Note: Almost done! Please review! 


	17. Return of the Chamber of Secrets

Of Wizards and Keyblades: chapter 16

  
  


pairings: Sora/Kairi, HP/GW, RW/HG

  
  


Author's note: thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope, though I can make no guarantees, that the next chapter will be out before Monday. That's when school starts for me, and I'm hauling ass trying to get this finished before then. 

"Harry!" Sora, Ron, and Hermione yelled as their friend was seized by spasms and convulsed violently on the floor. Dobby and the other House Elves rushed forward, and their combined magic kept him from harming himself. As suddenly as it had started, Harry collapsed bonelessly, screams scraping his throat erratically, his eyes wide, and his scar livid, almost glowing with an ethereal light. 

"Harry Potter is okay now, Masters and Mistress! You is leaving him in our care for a few moments, please. The table is comfortable for waiting, Masters and Mistress. We is healing Harry Potter!" Dobby squeaked, pulling Harry's limp head into his lap, as dozens of other House Elves encircled the pair, chanting and interlocking their long fingers. Sora, Hermione, Donald, Goofy, and Ron backed up to one of the four long House tables, and watched in awe as the Elves worked pure, loyal magic into their young master's body. Dobby was chanting the loudest of all, and although his speech was gibberish to the humans, his fellow servants seemed to grow stronger with his words. They occasionally nodded their heads at something he said and repeated it in unity, and Harry was surrounded by their unique magical aura. His cries of anguish stopped, and his face lost the pained, agony-ridden expression, and was replaced with a peaceful shroud of sleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"D-D-Dobby? Where a-am I?" Harry asked groggily, seeing the House Elf looking at him anxiously from above his face. It unnerved him. 

"Harry Potter is in Hogwarts kitchens! Harry is feeling You-Know-Who's invasion of his mind! Us House Elves is fixing it!" Dobby said fast, hugging his master's head tightly. 

"Umph! Dbmphy! Gmphoff!" The teen's muffled voice yelled into the Elf's vest-covered chest. Dobby straightened up, wiping large tears from his tennis ball eyes.

"Dobby is sorry for smothering Sir! He is just so relieved that Harry is okay! But Dobby remembers that Sirs and Ma'am is searching for a funny Door! Dobby is wanting to show it to Masters and Mistress before it is too late." Everyone's ears perked up and turned attentively. His five friends had stood a few feet away from his supine form. They all looked just as relieved as Dobby that he wasn't cackling insanely and channeling Voldemort's evil energy. 

"Yes! Where is it, Dobby? We need to find it before-" 

"All students are to report to their Heads of Houses in their Common Rooms immediately. There is an assault upon the school, and any students not under the protection of their dorms will be in serious danger. I repeat, return to your Common Rooms as quickly and safely as possible: the castle is under siege." McGonagall's voice echoed through every crevice of Hogwarts, and the four students, Donald, and Goofy in the kitchen felt their blood run cold. The forces of Darkness were upon them. The school was in serious danger....if only there was a place to hide all the students in one place....

Hermione gasped in sudden enlightenment. "Harry! We need to find Dumbledore and convince him to use the Chamber of Secrets as a haven for everyone!" Hermione cried, rushing over to her friend to help him up. Having the school divided into four different sections was good in the sense that not everyone could be captured at once, but it was harder to defend four places than just one. And who knew how many different ways the Darkness could get in? They broke the wards around Draco's bed, they could break the wards on the Houses. 

Harry looked amazed at her brilliancy, and in a shocking moment of hilarity, both he AND Ron kissed her cheeks in gratitude. She blushed the deepest red Sora had ever seen, and after both boys had moved away from her, he, Donald, and Goofy gave her a traditional Group Bear Hug. "Brilliant thinking, Hermione!" he exclaimed, and looked down once more to the Elf. "Dobby, we'll still need to find that door, so I'm afraid you're going to have to go with us." Dobby squealed in surprise when Sora scooped him up in his arms, and ran out the kitchen portal, his five friends close behind him. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the heart of the school, chaos was running amok. The six companions shot past panicked packs of students running to their dormitories. A few stray first years were having nervous breakdowns, and the group stopped momentarily to point them in the right direction, and cast a protective spell on them as they headed off, crying gratefully to the teens. Then the rounded the corridor to their right, and the Gargoyle was in sight.....

"Harry? Sora? What are you all doing out of your dormitory? This is not the time to be heroic! Voldemort is on the grounds!" Dumbledore exclaimed as several colorful blurs streaked past him en route to his office. They braked, and reversed, coming to a halt in front of the Headmaster. 

"Sir! Hermione thought that maybe we could use the Chamber as a safe haven for the student body! It would mean only one place to defend, and our strength could be focused better, without being split up into a group of four to protect the Houses! And the students could arm themselves and hold off any attack pretty well were the enemy to get in." Harry said all in one breath, but Dumbledore understood every word. And he was very impressed with the girl's battle tactics. They were much like his own.

"That is exactly what I was aiming to do just now. We will move at once. Sonorus!" Dumbledore's voice magnified, and carried throughout the whole of the castle. "Students, staff, and ghosts! Please proceed with caution to the second floor girl's bathroom, where I will be awaiting your arrival. Be highly alert and move with sense of purpose, please! Do not stray behind or run ahead! Stay with your Head of House, Head Boy, Head Girl, and Prefects!" 

Harry, Sora (with Dobby quietly cradled in his arms), Hermione, Ron, Goofy, and Donald moved with the powerful wizard to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where she was braiding her luminescent hair into a plait while sitting on top of the sinks, looking bored. She squeaked when seeing the Headmaster, and dove into a toilet. Harry immediately found the small snake carving and hissed, "Open!" in Parseltongue. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were amazed when the sink slid back to reveal a huge copper pipe that led deep into the floor. 

While he was doing this, Harry thought about their unique situation. The irony wasn't lost on him. The once headquarter's of Tom Riddle's memory's evil plotting, and eventual place of his destruction, was now to be their protection from his older, more powerful self. Maybe history would be repetitive, and Riddle would once more be defeated in the tomb of the Basilisk. 

"Very good. Now, we must wait for the students. Ah, Severus!" Snape and his House strode into the bathroom, looking bewildered and frightened. Dumbledore addressed them with a calming voice. "Children, this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and the entire student body will be hidden in it....now don't fret," he admonished, because several of the Slytherin members paled and backed away from the open hole in the floor. "All danger has been slain, not to worry. Severus, would you please lead your pupils into the Chamber, hopefully it will be a more defendable position in this imminent battle." Snape said not a word, but jumped nimbly down into the pipes leading to a place Harry had once justifiably feared. His students hesitantly followed him, after he yelled, "All is well, just a bit of debris and animal bones." 

After all the Slytherins were inside, the Hufflepuffs proceeded, led by Professor Sprout and Professor Vector. They were much more resistant to the idea of hiding in the Chamber than the Slytherins. Perhaps if Helga Hufflepuff had created it, they would have been more amiable towards the idea. But eventually Dumbledore convinced them all to follow their peers. 

Flitwick led the Ravenclaws next, and their reactions were similar to the Hufflepuffs, but they too crawled inside to the safety of the Chamber. Professor Sinistra and Trelawney lowered themselves in slowly after the students....both had terrified looks plastered across their faces, though Sinistra looked at least more dignified and under control than her companion.

The Gryffindor party was horribly late. Everyone inside the bathroom was worried sick. Dumbledore had given them five minutes, but as they were still no-shows, he and the rest of the party decided to search for them. Just as they headed out the bathroom door, McGonagall's magnified voice screeched," Attack on the fifth floor! Any teachers who can assist, ow! please help!" 

The seven of them rushed off at once to the staircase, and on the fifth landing, were met with a horrible sight. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Author's Note: yes, I know it is know a tradition for me to end my chapters on a cliffie^_^.....I'm sorry, but that is just the perfect place to leave it off. It keeps you on your toes, no? Please review! 


	18. Doorway and Keyhole

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Chapter 17

  
  


pairings: Sora/Kairi, HP/GW, RW/HG

  
  


author's note: thank you for all the reviews! I'm over 100! I never would believe I'd actually hit 110! Keep 'em coming! They make me type faster^_^

  
  


MINOR OotP SPOILER: nothing too revealing, it's a place that was mentioned in Book I, so it's not a new thing.

  
  


Injured children littered the fifth floor, some moaning in pain, others deathly quiet. McGonagall, and some of the elder Years were holding out against a whole regiment of Light Killers. Only about fourteen had been taken out by the wizards and witches, and more were streaming out of midair. 

Sora, Goofy, and Donald shouted out a battle cry, and summoning their weapons, jumped into the fray. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dumbledore took out numerous Heartless while the three other-worlders magicked and slashed and mangled the little demons to tiny bits. 

In a span of fifteen minutes, they had sufficiently stemmed the Dark tide enough to survey the damage. Two First Years were seriously wounded. The girl had a gruesome abdominal wound, and the boy had been stabbed in they eye. Both were unconscious, but still breathing. 

Dumbledore, and McGonagall were terribly shaken to see that one other student was broken beyond repair. A third year boy had his throat cut in one long, deep gash. He was gurgling incoherently, and a long trail of crimson seeped from the side of his lips. As Dumbledore bent down and tried to stop the flow of blood, the boy grew still and quiet, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He was dead. 

But there was no time to grieve, and they regretfully had to leave the body there and hurry to the Chamber. Hermione, Ron, and Harry went to help some of the injured up, when Dobby, who had actually assisted in the battle rather well, piped up.

"Harry Potter and Sora must come quickly! The Door is here!" He tugged on both the boy's robes, and tried to lead them down the hallway. 

"But we need to help the kids get to safety!" Harry argued, hoisting Ginny into his arms, since she had a broken ankle. Sora came to a quick decision. 

"Harry, I'll go with Dobby to the Door. If you have a chance, you can come back. But if Voldemort has broken into the castle, defend the chamber! Good luck!" The Keyblade Master said quietly, and Harry gave him a hard look and swore that he would return. Hermione gave him a quick hug, Ron shook his hand, and Ginny leaned over Harry's shoulder to peck him weakly on the cheek, before her rescuer rushed off with the rest of the Gryffindors. Dumbledore nodded his head in assent, and whispered so low that Sora almost didn't catch it, "Good luck, son. It was an honor meeting you." Before helping McGonagall off down the hall. 

Sora stood there, feeling betrayed. Did Dumbledore think he wasn't going to make it? Dobby grasped his hand and lead him down the opposite way. 

But wait....if he found the Door, he wouldn't come back! The Light would suck him off to some other place...and he would probably never see Dumbledore, Ginny, or Harry again. He tried to delay his approach to wherever it was Dobby was dragging him.

"Sora, Sir! You is needing to concentrate hard on the Door you is wanting....thinks of nothing else until Dobby says!" The elf said matter-of-factly. Donald and Goofy followed, bewildered, as Sora forced himself to forget his hesitations.....this world's future was resting on him finding this Door. He needed to seal the Darkness once again. This might lead to the Keyhole. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After pacing the hall five times, Dobby pointed out an old door that was definitely not there before. Dobby called it the Room of Requirement. How....convenient. The elf wished him good luck and disappeared with a 'crack!'

With his two friends behind him, Sora turned the doorknob, and hesitantly stepped inside. The walls were bare, as was the floor and ceiling. The room was exceptionally drab, except for a plain wooden door on the opposite end of the room. It bore the Crossed Heart Seal, but Sora didn't need that to tell him this was the Door he had been hunting for ever since he fell into this world. He dared hope that it might even let him go home to Destiny Islands......

The Door rattled alarmingly, and the three took an instinctive step back. 

"What was that?" Donald whispered, brandishing his God Save the Queen staff. 

"I think it's the Heartless......they're trying to get out...." Sora hissed back, summoning his courage and moving forward.

The Door burst open, and Sora cried out in alarm. Inside was an endless space of Black. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Downstairs, a war raged on through the halls. The teachers, after securing the students safely in the Chamber, had emerged to battle the Death Eaters, who had broken in and were trying to make a way to the girl's bathroom. 

Dumbledore pulled Harry aside the first chance he got, and thrust the Sword of Gryffindor into his hands. "Use it well, Harry." He whispered before dashing off to one of the teacher's aid. 

Harry was holding his own against the dark wizards. He had put down three, injured seven, and scared off five. He was trying desperately to make his way into the center of them, where Voldemort surely stood. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sora! We need to close the door! The Heartless will take your world if we don't!" Riku yelled to his friend, who seemed to be a thousand miles away, yet was only standing six feet in front of him. 

"Come back to the other side! We can do it from over here! I won't leave you in there again!" Sora yelled back, trying to tug Riku to his side of the door frame. Riku hesitated, but King Mickey appeared, the Keyblade's brother in his hand. 

"Riku, I think we are safe now to free ourselves from the Darkness." And he stepped over the barrier. The alabaster-haired warrior hesitated, then took Sora's offered hand, and entered the room.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Sora grinned, letting go of Riku's hand and moving towards the door. 

"Let's go, boys! It's nice to see you, too, Goofy and Donald!" Mickey smiled as his two friends hugged him and cried out in joy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Harry.....we end this." Voldemort hissed, and drew his wand. Harry dodged his curse narrowly, and rounded to the side. The Death Eaters had cleared a path for them, knowing that their Lord wanted to kill the boy himself. Ginny had followed him, however.

"Tom! Stop picking on Harry!" She yelled defiantly at him, shoulders squared and eyes narrowed. Voldemort stared at her in blunt surprise, but before he realized it, a sharp, searing pain pricked his back, and a long silver sword shot out of his chest. Harry had ran him through with the Gryffindor blade.

The Dark Lord staggered, and turned to his bane. He looked down at the sword's tip in disbelief, then anger. "You.....this was not supposed to happen! Your just a stupid little boy-"

"Yes, but I am the boy, who lived." Harry snarled, and grabbed the tip of the sword, ignoring the pain in his palm, and twisted it hard. Voldemort cried out in pain, and crumpled to the floor. Blood spewed from his chest and back wounds, and his eyes unfocused and glazed over. He was finished. 

Harry wiped his forehead, and almost missed it. He did a double take and felt for it again, but did not find it. His scar was gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riku, Goofy, Donald, Mickey, and Sora heaved on the Door, and it slowly creaked, moving inch by slow agonizing inch, until it finally snapped shut. 

As they had done a time before, King Mickey and Sora shot beams of light from their blade tips, sealing it shut. 

Mickey turned to them all, looking sad. "It's time to say goodbye. We have different homes to go to, Sora." 

Donald and Goofy spun around to face their best friend. Goodbye?! No! They couldn't say goodbye, they were an inseparable team! 

"I know it is terrible, but that is the way it has to be. The worlds must remain hidden, disconnected. But don't loose hope!" The King said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "We will always be connected, through our hearts. The strongest bond of all is love, a friend's love, a family's love. We are family. We are always together." 

Goofy and Donald rushed over and hugged their friend hard, tears in everyone's eyes. Donald was the first to speak. 

"We'll see ya, Sora. No forgetting, no regrets." He whispered the last part, unable to continue through the lump in his throat. 

Goofy bawled, holding Sora tight in his arms. "'M gonna miss ya, Sora! Yer my best buddy! But I'll always be with ya." 

"You both will never forget me, right?" Sora tried to joke, but his grin was as clearly transparent as glass. He would not cry...he would not cry...he would not, oh damnit.

"Never." Said Mickey, and he gave the Keyblade Master a hearty handshake, before stepping back with Donald and Goofy. Sora cried silently as his friends faded from his eyes, and disappeared, back to their home, where they were wanted and belonged.

"I'm going back to Destiny Islands." Riku murmured, looking at Sora with warmth. I'll see you there. I'll tell Kairi you're on your way." And he too faded from view. Sora was left alone in the Room of Requirement. 

The Door that had once been the gateway to the Darkness transformed into part of the wall. In the center of this space, a large keyhole appeared. It was surrounded by minute golden and silver stars, moons, and lightning bolts. As he raised his Keyblade instinctively, Sora thought that he had never cried so hard in his life. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Death Eaters fought a bit more after their Lord's death, but as the word spread, and they felt their Marks fade, most conceded to defeat. A few still fought, but with their grief and rage, they were easily defeated. Harry had forgotten momentarily about his friend upstairs, and as soon as he remembered, his shot down the corridor, up three flights of stairs, and came across a new door that hadn't been there before......

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora turned quickly when Harry rushed inside, expecting it to be Voldemort or a Death Eater. He wiped his eyes, but he couldn't hide the fact that he'd been crying. 

The first thing he said was, "Harry, where's your scar?" Harry rubbed his forehead, and for lack of a better answer, said, 

"I killed Voldemort."

Sora's eyes widened in surprise. "That's great, Harry! I....ah....."

"What?" Sora was acting a bit odd.

"I just sealed the Keyhole. I'll be going soon." As soon as that was said, a faint white aura shone around him, and Harry reeled with alarm and grief. 

"But-! Will I ever see you again?" 

Sora bit his lip to keep from crying again. "No. Not until we're dead, anyway. But we do have our link," he held his hand to his heart, "and maybe there's a way to communicate through that. You rest assured that I WILL find a way if there is one!" 

Harry moved forward, and clasped his friend's hand in his own. "I will miss you beyond belief. You've changed my life, mate." 

Sora smiled, reaching up to touch the place where the lightning bolt scar once marred his forehead. "And you mine." 

The brunette's body, starting with his feet, began to disintegrate into millions of beautiful bright golden flecks of shimmering light. Before he was forever gone, Harry pulled him into a brotherly embrace. Sora hugged back, and whispered, "but don't ever forget Harry; wherever you go, I'm with you." 

Harry watched in amazement as Sora trickled like glitter from his arms, and evaporated into the air. And for the first time in many years, he cried. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Author's Note: Woo! Almost done! Only the epilogue left! I'll do that tomorrow if I find time. I know there was a lot of mush and crying and sap in this chapter, but hey, it's a sad topic, and they really are rather mushy and sappy in the game^_^ Please Review!!!!!! 


	19. Epilogue

Of Wizards and Keyblades: Epilogue  
  


pairings: Sora/Kairi, HP/GW, RW/HG  
  


Harry looked down at the long parchment he had been writing on, and after on last, quick scan, sighed in satisfaction. He was going to try and contact a person he hadn't seen in four years, and he was busy hoping and praying that Hermione's idea would work.

He looked down at the letter, and laid his hand over his heart. He read it to himself out loud, and concentrated hard on his friend.

"Dear Sora,

"Hey, it's Harry. I'm currently trying to contact you through the Paopu connection we forged all that time ago. I've decided to do it in the form of a letter, so I can keep my thoughts organized. Plus, it was Hermione's idea, and that's always good enough for me.

"Okay, a few updates: After Voldemort's defeat, we hunted down the rest of the Light Killers, and wiped their race out, since no sliver of good could be found in any of them. All Death Eaters have been wrangled up as well, including Draco and Lucius Malfoy. Azkaban is no longer guarded by Dementors, but by a new special force called the Wardens. They're really good at what they do, let me tell you that. 

"Hermione and Ron just got engaged a month ago. They're planning their wedding for September. And I must say, it was about time Ron popped the question. I would have done if for him if he had waited a second longer. 

"I myself am now a husband. Ginny and I are very happy, and we're expecting a little red-headed Potter in five months. If it's a girl, her name will be Sabriel Kairi Potter. And if it's a boy, we're calling him Caleb Sora Potter.

"How have you been? I really hope you're hearing my message, because we've all worried about you for such a long time. We don't know if you made it home safe or not. But I am sure you did. I don't know why, but I'm sure I would feel it if something happened to you. How is Kairi and Riku? Have you two gotten together yet? Have you been in contact with Donald and Goofy? I was going to try reaching them next. 

"Dumbledore commissioned a statue of you and the others in Hogwarts today. It is enormous, I wish you could see it! It's on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and it's of you carrying me over your shoulder(though you can't tell because I'm covered with a cloak), and looking up at the Castle with awe. It looks just like you did when you first arrived here, in your funny clothes and spiky hair. 

"Hermione said that the Paopu connection might make it possible for us to hear each other's thoughts when directed properly. So this is my attempt, and I pray that it was successful. Haha, I can see me during class (oh, didn't I tell you? I teach DADA now), or on the loo or someplace odd, and all of a sudden hear, "Hey Harry!" in my head and have a heart attack. I hope I haven't done the same to you, mate. That would definitely ruin my day, and yours. 

"Snape and McGonagall are still teaching, if you can believe it. Snape is still a greasy bastard, but now he can't take points off me, and I make it a habit to pull as many pranks as I can on him. Just last night I played "knock and run" on his door at three in the morning. You should have seen his face, it was priceless!

"After you left, it was so quiet around. We were all in this low depressing stage then. Even though we had destroyed the Dark, we lost the Light, too. But Dumbledore cheered us all up when he promised to dedicate some monument to you. And since we captured Peter Pettigrew in the siege, my godfather Sirius Black, was cleared of all his previous charges. Ginny and I have our own wing in the Black Manor with him. He always says he would have loved to meet you. He says you sound a lot like him when he was young. 

"Well, I hope you got all that, because I'm expecting you to reply back if it worked! Here's to you, mate! I've never forgotten. 

Your Friend,

Harry Potter."

Harry closed his eyes, willing all those words to be heard by Sora, wherever he was.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(in a galaxy, far far away.....)

Sora was busy fumbling with his shirt when a long remembered voice rang in his head, 'Dear Sora....' He cried out in alarm, and as he whirled around to see behind him, he fell out of the bed in shock.

"Sora? What's the matter?" His fiancé Kairi asked in surprise when he tumbled off their four poster. They had just been heading to third base....what was wrong now?

"Harry?!" 

She stared incredulously at her husband-to-be. He had lost his mind! "Sora, Harry isn't here...."

But he was frozen on the floor, seeming to be listening to something with intensity. His face at first was etched with bewilderment, then amusement, then nostalgia, and finishing with pure happiness. 

"Kairi! Harry just talked to me! No, don't give me that look," for his girlfriend has raised her eyebrow." The connection, he used it to send me a message! I gotta go write a letter!" And with that, he left his blushing bride high and dry in their bed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Dear Harry,

"I can't believe the connection worked! Give Hermione a huge sloppy kiss for me, she's a genius! I can't tell you how many things I tried to do, but I think I didn't have any faith in it. I was in a depression myself. You all effected me so deeply that I was wounded after I left. Kairi only now has gotten me out of my "misery mode" as she calls it. Riku, who is just as cocky as always by the way, says I was in a "HDG withdrawal." HDG standing for Harry Donald and Goofy. 

"Congratulations for your marriage to Ginny! I KNOW that you two are a great couple. Can you feel my excitement about your baby? Love the choice of names, by the way. Kairi will be thrilled if it's a girl. And give my regards to Ron and Hermione. I wish them all the happiness in the world. Wish I could be there.

"The Light has not called me away to any other world since I left Hogwarts, so I guess that the Heartless are gone for good. It's kind of quiet without them, sorry as I am to admit it. But I think I need a bit of peace right now, what with Kairi and I settling down in our own house now. That's right, we're getting married soon. I would do anything to have you here. 

"Dumbledore dedicated a statue to me? He really shouldn't have, I'm blushing! Tell him thank you.

"I have not gotten a hold of Goofy and Donald, though now that I know how, you can bet that's the first thing I do after I finish this letter. A teacher now! Well, you certainly have the recommendations for DADA. I knew you couldn't leave Hogwarts! It's too much a part of you to be outgrown. 

"How is old Snape and McGonagall? You're right, I can't believe they're still there. I don't know, it seems like a whole 'nother lifetime ago that Donald knocked Snape on his ass. That sure was funny now that I look back on it, though. Tell him I said 'hi,' please! 

"I wish I met your Godfather. If he's anything like me, I'm sure I would have adored him. Your life seems to be finally evening out, and I'm certain that it will last a long while. Goodness knows you deserve it. 

"I miss Hogwarts still, even four years after I've left it. I have never forgotten either, and I am always with you.

Friends Forever,

Sora."

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Harry was indeed in the middle of a lesson on blocking the Imperius Curse when Sora's voice rang in his mind. It had gotten a little deeper, but it was still Sora's all the same. After regaining control of his heart beat, he excused himself for five minutes to listen to his reply, and he forced himself not to tear up to save face. After Sora's voice stopped, Harry sighed with relief. It had worked. Sora was fine and dandy on Destiny Islands, with love, friendship, and family. A warm tingle rested in his heart, and he knew that Sora felt his happiness. All was well, and he found himself dismissing his class early, and taking a walk on the grounds. 

Professor Harry strode quietly over to the new monument on the grounds. He stopped and stared up at the face of his friend, and laid a hand on the marble figure's Keyblade. As his palm travelled down the length of the sword, feeling the contours and textures of the smooth stone, his eyes focused on the golden plaque resting at Sora's feet. 

Never Forget.  
  


Harry smiled and pulled his hand away. He would never loose the memories of his Fifth Year at Hogwarts, the defeat of Voldemort, the clearing of Sirius's name, acquiring a new, loving home, and his friendship with Sora. No, he would never forget: the memories would always be with him, wherever he went. 

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Author's Note: *starts crying* I'm actually finished.....this story has been my baby, and I feel terribly sad that it has to end now. I don't have a plan for a sequel, but who knows? Maybe I'll be in class one day and a Muse will slap me with a brilliant idea. It happens all the time, so I just might make a second story, but don't quote me on that! THANK YOU ALL!!!! Especially to those who have stayed with this story until the end, your comments and praise really have helped me a lot! I feel that my writing skills have improved tremendously with each chapter. I'm serious! I look back on Chapter one and wince! LOL^_^ Now that school's starting, I probably will start a weekly update of all of my stories. Probably on Sunday. Again, thank you all for your reviews! *hugs* 


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